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[Watch] When Allan Donald Sledged Rahul Dravid After Being Smacked For Six

image-lps4auyrRahul Dravid (Twitter)

One of the finest ever to have graced the cricket field, Rahul Dravid was renowned for his tight defensive technique and unwavering patience and grit against the world's finest attacks in India colours. 

Dravid rarely hit the ball in the air until one fine day he ruffled the feathers of South African speedster Allan Donald with a memorable maximum during the final of the 1997 tri-series in the rainbow nation. 

As India strived to hunt down a stiff target of 279, Dravid had to be more calculative and aggressive at the crease after walking in at No.3. The legend played one of his best One-Day knocks, a brilliant 84 off 94 deliveries during the second half. The knock wasn't good enough to propel India through but earned Dravid the deserved accolades and praise. 

The knock is remembered for its great timing and strokeplay but also an ugly spat that followed Dravid's standalone maximum when Donald took offence to the six struck to the deep mid-wicket region and gave the opposition batter a mouthful. 


When Donald Sledged Dravid For Rare Six 

Facing a full-pitched delivery from Donald with the asking rate climbing up, Dravid dispatched the ball to the on-side for one of the rare maximums hit in the early stages of his career. Taken by a huge surprise, Donald, who was one of the great fast bowlers of his times, felt dejected and sledged Dravid about it while the latter continued batting unfussed. 


Twenty five years later, when Dravid travelled to Bangladesh as the head of support staff of the Indian cricket team during their 2022 trip, Donald, who was the bowling coach for the hosts, issued an apology to one of the gentle giants of world cricket, insisting there is nothing but respect between the two. 

"There was one ugly incident in Durban when I talk about. Dravid and Sachin were smoking us to all parts. I overstepped the mark a little bit. I’ve just nothing but massive respect for Rahul Dravid," Donald told Sony Sports in an interview. 

"I would love to sit with Rahul and go out for a dinner and say sorry to him again about what happened that day. I still apologise for what I said that day," he added.