It has been a tough year, admits Dravid

For Rahul Dravid, it was in many ways a huge relief crossing the 10,000-run barrier in Test cricket.

It was somewhat unbelievable, sometimes unimaginable to see the former India captain and one of India's most consistent batsmen struggle for runs in the last couple of years.

Scoring big runs has never been a problem for the Karnataka batsmen right from the start of his career but the form and consistency seemed to have deserted him somewhat recently. So the delight was clear when he finally got to his century after a gap of 21 innings in the first Test against South Africa in Chennai on Saturday.

• Images: India vs SA, 1st Test, Day 4

Infact, before today he had managed just two centuries in 45 innings since the second Test against Pakistan at Faisalabad in January 2006.

"I pretty much coasted for the last five-six years through my career. I had to work pretty hard from 9000 to 10000. In some ways, it was a sign for me to learn to enjoy these things, learn to reflect on these moments. In some ways, the last 1000 has been a learning curve for me," Dravid revealed on Saturday.

The 35-year-old added that it was a tough year as compared to the high standard he has set over the years.

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"It has been a tough year in some ways. I have been playing well in patches. I guess you go through this phase. It is part and parcel of playing cricket. I set high standards for myself. I have been fighting through it. I felt at phases it was coming back and probably just breaking my finger in the last game at Adelaide. I was completely off for six weeks," said the right-hander.

Dravid said his good form in domestic cricket leading into the Test match had helped him a lot.

"I picked up the bat two or three days before the Deodhar game. I got a couple of good scores, a hundred... fifty. I came into this Test feeling really good," said the batting ace.

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Playing in his 120th Test match, Dravid became the sixth player to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

"It is a proud moment. For me growing up I dreamt of playing for India. When I look back I probably I exceeded my expectations with what I have done over the last 10-12 years. I can look back and reflect that I maximised my potential over these years," he quipped.

The former India captain also admitted that it was extra special getting to the mark after watching Sunil Gavaskar achieve the feat on television as a small kid at Ahmedabad in 1987.

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"I can see that picture in my mind and watching it on televison, Gavaskar late cutting in Ahmedabad and raising his bat for his 10,000. I never had an ambition to do it, because I never believed. As a young kid, to be honest, I didn't have the self-belief I could do it. I always dreamt of playing for India," he said.

He also is the third batsman in the sport to achieve the double of 10,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs after Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.

"It is great company. Just to be in that sort of company is fantastic. Both of them have been the greatest batsmen of my generation. For me to be in that company is surreal in some ways. I know Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis, the other two great batsmen of my generation are also probably going to get there very soon."

When asked to pick which milestone was better, Dravid said it was getting to the mark in ODIs.

"Definitely getting 10,000 runs in one-dayers was special. Not really about other people's perceptions, just the challenges I had to face in myself. Starting out as a particular kind of player and adapting to the one-day game, batting in different positions, learning the one-day skills. I had to change, adapt, and do different things. That gave me a lot of satisfaction."

"Test cricket in the end is much tougher in the end. You look back on that and you recognise they are the toughest ones to get. You will always cherish your Test performances a bit more than the one-day ones. You know the 10,000 you got in Test cricket has probably been a bit tougher," he added.

Dravid considers himself lucky to be at the crease on both occasions when Sehwag smashed a record 319 against South Africa in this Test match and with VVS Laxman during his epic 281against Australia.

"It is fantastic, for us to celebrate Anil's 600 and Sehwag's knock yesterday was truly special. It was one of the best knocks I have seen. I was lucky to bat at the other end, probably the best two innings, Laxman 281 and Viru in this knock. I guess people are in that stages of their careers, they have been around for a long time, notching up some numbers, notching up some wickets," he said.

The veteran said he never goes out there to prove a point to anyone, but to make a contribution to the team's cause.

"This is the way I have always played. I have always played to prove to myself more than anyone else. Try and be there when we win Test matches and make a contribution. Just the fact that I have been able to do that over a long period ends up in your reaching such milestones," Dravid said.