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Dravid started playing cricket at the age of 12, and represented Karnataka at the
under-15, the under-17 and the under-19 levels.[19] Former cricketer Keki
Tarapore first noticed Dravid's talent while coaching at a summer camp in the
Chinnaswamy Stadium.[20] Dravid scored a century for his school team.[21] He
also played as wicket-keeper.[18]
Dravid made his Ranji Trophy debut in February 1991, while he was still attending
college.[22] Playing alongside future Indian teammates Anil Kumble and Javagal
Srinath against Maharashtra in Pune, he scored 82 runs in the match, which
ended in a draw.[23] His first full season was in 199192, when he scored two
centuries and finished up with 380 runs at an average of 63.3,[24] getting
selected for the South Zone cricket team in the Duleep Trophy.[25]
International career
International debut
two catches in the match.[27] He followed it up with another failure in the next
ODI of the series scoring just 4 runs before getting run out against Pakistan.[28]
In contrast to his ODI debut, his Test debut was rather successful one. Dravid was
selected for the Indian Test squad touring England on the backdrop of consistent
heavy scoring in domestic cricket for 5 years,[29][30] but didn't get a chance in
the First Test despite scoring a fifty each against the Gloucestershire and the
Leicestershire county in the tour games.[31][32] He finally made his debut in
Test cricket at Lord's on 20 June 1996 against England in the Second Test of the
series. Dravid got the chance to be in the playing XI only because of the ankle
injury to senior batsman Sanjay Manjrekar.[33][34] Coming in to bat at no. 7, he
forged important partnerships with another debutante Sourav Ganguly and his
Karnataka team mates Kumble and Srinath securing a vital lead for his team in
testing conditions.[35] Batting for more than 6 hours, he scored 95 runs, missing
out on a landmark debut hundred by just 5 runs, before getting out to the
bowling of Chris Lewis.[36] He also took his first catch in Test cricket in this
match to dismiss Nasser Hussain off the bowling of Srinath.[36] Dravid managed
to hold on to his position in the playing XI in the Third Test despite Manjrekar's
return. A hundred against British Universities in the tour game further
strengthened Dravid's cause.[37] Eventually Ajay Jadeja was dropped to
accommodate Manjrekar in the team.[34] Dravid went on to score 84 runs in the
first innings of the Nottingham Test.[38]