Sachin Tendulkar vs Rahul Dravid: Who Was The Better Test Batsman?

Sachin Tendulkar vs Rahul Dravid: who was the better batsman in Test Cricket? There is always the debate over the comparison of the two greatest players in Indian Cricket History. If Sachin Tendulkar has more runs than Rahul Dravid has the unmatched impact which has taken the bail of team India from nowhere and put the team back into the driver's seat.

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Both have played in the same era and decimated every bowling pair who had stood their way. Either it was home conditions or the overseas tours both have scored runs.

In the article, SportzPoint will take a look at the numbers of these two Indian legends in different conditions to know about the batting strengths of these two players.

Test Career Runs:

Sachin Tendulkar

Matches: 200
Innings: 329
Runs: 15,921
Average: 53.78
50's/100's: 68/51

Rahul Dravid

Matches: 164
Innings: 286
Runs: 13,288
Average: 52.31
50's/100's: 63/36

If we look at the career runs of these two players it is difficult to say who is better than the other. Sachin Tendulkar has played more tests than Rahul Dravid and has a slightly better average compared to Rahul Dravid.

If we assume the scenario that Rahul Dravid had played an equal number of tests to Sachin Tendulkar he could've been equal or gone ahead of Sachin Tendulkar's numbers easily in terms of runs and average.

Even the centuries and half-centuries could've been almost equal or more Rahul Dravid had played an equal number of tests. In this battle of career runs, it's tough to say who is better but still, Rahul Dravid with the numbers in lesser games to Sachin Tendulkar is better.

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Test Runs In The Home Conditions:

Sachin Tendulkar

Innings: 152
Runs: 7216
Average: 52.67
50's/100's: 32/22

Rahul Dravid

Innings: 120
Runs: 5598
Average: 51.36
50's/100's: 27/15

It's not a tough task for a player to score runs in their own territory against any bowling pairs. Again looking at the numbers of two players it's tough to say who is the better player in the home conditions.

Sachin Tendulkar has a slightly better average than Dravid in more innings he has played and even the difference between centuries and half-centuries is not big from Rahul Dravid.

Although it's tough to call innings margin is big of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid would easily go ahead in terms of runs, average, centuries, and half-centuries in the equal number of innings Sachin Tendulkar had played.

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Test Runs In The Overseas Conditions:

Sachin Tendulkar

Innings: 176
Runs: 8705
Average: 54.75
50's/100's: 36/29

Rahul Dravid

Innings: 166
Runs: 7690
Average: 53.03
50's/100's: 36/21

Probably the other parameter to know about the batting strengths of any batsman. Performing in overseas conditions is completely different from the home conditions for the player as he has not played first-class cricket in those conditions. Sachin Tendulkar had a slightly better average than Rahul Dravid in overseas conditions.

But Rahul Dravid had an equal number of half-centuries compared to Sachin Tendulkar in fewer innings. It's tough to say who is better in the overseas conditions. In the hypothetical situation, Rahul Dravid had played an equal number of innings he had a better average or runs too.

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Test Runs Against Sena Countries And West Indies:

Sachin Tendulkar:

Australia - 38 Innings 1809 Runs 53.21 average 6 centuries

South Africa – 28 Innings 1161 Runs 46.44 average 5 centuries

New Zealand – 18 Innings 842 Runs 49.53 average 2 centuries

England – 30 Innings 1575 Runs 54.31 average 4 centuries

West Indies – 14 Innings 620 Runs 47.69 average 1 century

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Rahul Dravid:

Australia – 32 Innings 1166 Runs 41.64 average 1 century

South Africa – 22 Innings 624 Runs 29.71 average 1 century

New Zealand – 14 Innings 766 Runs 63.83 average 2 centuries

England – 23 Innings 1376 Runs 68.80 average 6 centuries

West Indies – 28 Innings 1511 Runs 65.70 average 3 centuries

Out of five, Rahul Dravid had a better average against West Indies, England, and New Zealand than Sachin Tendulkar. Maybe the career runs of Sachin Tendulkar are better than Dravid but his performance against teams like West Indies, England, and New Zealand is not good.

Although, Sachin had a good record against teams like Australia and South Africa where Rahul Dravid was having tough times. But in terms of hundreds came in the victory cause Rahul Dravid is ahead of Sachin Tendulkar along with the winning percentage of those hundreds.

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In conclusion, maybe Sachin Tendulkar has more runs but the impact of Rahul Dravid either in the victories or scoring runs against quality teams is better and is very ahead of Sachin Tendulkar.