Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar and Indian batter Rahul Dravid were two different personalities both on and off the field. Akhtar was famous for his aggressive nature, whereas Dravid was a cool personality. However, both of them engaged in a verbal fight during the 2004 Champions Trophy.
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Akhtar talked with Star Sports regarding a couple of incidents when he got surprised by Dravid’s nature on the field. One was obviously during the Champions Trophy. The Rawalpindi Express said that Dravid wanted to have a word with him in that match, and he was shocked regarding the same.
Akhtar then revealed that his anger came against Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif. He said that Kaif moved away just before releasing the ball and that made Akhtar a lot more furious.
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“It was the first time I saw this gentleman of cricket behave… in that match, he wanted to have a word with me. I ran in to bowl, and before I took my jump, Mohammad Kaif moved away. So, I got him and Yuvraj out,” Akhtar said in a video posted by Star Sports.
Shoaib Akhtar got surprised by Rahul Dravid’s aggressive nature
Apart from the Champions Trophy incident, Akhtar quoted one more incident against Dravid. He did not mention the particular game, but as per various media reports, it was the 5th ODI of the series between India and Pakistan in 2004 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The 5th ODI was the series decider, and Akhtar said that Dravid ran into him in that match, to which Akhar advised Rahul to stay in his own lane. Rahul got flared up over it, and Akhtar said that he could not believe that even Dravid can fight.
“We were close to winning that game, and Rahul Dravid ran into me. I told him you run on your side and I will run on mine. Rahul got flared up. I told him ‘Rahul, why are you getting so aggressive?,” Akhtar added.
India won the match by 40 runs in the end and won the series by 3-2. VVS Laxman scored a century for India in that very match. It was India’s first tour to Pakistan since 1989.
