“Biggest…”: Former India head coach on ignoring Sachin Tendulkar’s DRS advice in 2011 England Tour

Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid recently shared a regret from his playing career. Speaking in an interview with Ravichandran Ashwin, Dravid recalled an incident from India’s tough tour of England in 2011.

He revealed that during one of the matches, he was given out by the umpire but thought about using the Decision Review System (DRS). At that moment, however, he chose not to go for the review after Sachin Tendulkar advised him against it.

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Unfortunately, replays later showed that Dravid was actually not out. Looking back, Dravid admitted that he wishes he had trusted his instinct and gone for the review.

“There was one time where I regretted not using the DRS. It was during that 2011 tour in England in the Edgbaston Test,” Dravid recalled, in the conversation with Ashwin.

“I drove Jimmy Anderson, and I heard a noise, like a ‘tuk’, but I didn’t feel anything on the bat. Sometimes as a batsman, you know it, you feel it. There was a loud noise, but I didn’t feel anything on the bat,” Dravid elaborated.

Rahul Dravid was once given out caught behind by Australian umpire Simon Taufel, one of the most respected officials in the game and a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year winner. After a quick chat with Sachin Tendulkar, who was batting at the other end, Dravid chose not to challenge the decision using DRS.

“There was a noise, and Simon Taufel was a respected and good umpire. You didn’t really challenge him too much when he gave you decisions. He gave me out, and I walked to Sachin and said that I didn’t feel anything,” Dravid recollected.

“Sachin said, ‘There was a big noise yaar Rahul, I am sure you smashed it.’ And I thought maybe yeah, it was one of those things because I heard the noise as well,” Dravid said.

Rahul Dravid later discovered the truth about his dismissal. When he returned to the dressing room and watched the replays, he saw that the ball had completely missed his bat. The sound that convinced the umpire came from the bat striking his shoelace.

Even with that unlucky decision, Dravid was India’s standout performer in an otherwise forgettable series. Under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, India suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to England. It was the first of two heavy whitewashes for the team in quick succession.

Dravid, however, rose above the struggle. He scored three centuries in four Tests and finished the series with 461 runs, making him the third-highest run-getter overall. His dominance was clear as he scored 188 runs more than Sachin Tendulkar, who was India’s second-highest scorer.

Dravid’s consistency and determination stood out during one of India’s toughest overseas tours, further cementing his reputation as one of the greatest Test batsmen of all time.