"Wouldn't have survived today if I batted the way I did", says Rahul Dravid

Dravid scored 10,889 runs at a strike-rate of 71.24 across 344 ODIs for India.

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has no issues accepting that he would've been a misfit in today's high-scoring times in the limited-overs game. But Dravid, who made over 10,000 ODI runs at a strike-rate of 71.24 and played a variety of roles across his 344-game career, also said that it doesn't mean there is no place anymore for good defensive technique in the game, especially in Test match cricket. 

Dravid thinks the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma "have blown the ODI paradigm to an all new level", but the team still needs the hard grind of Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests. 

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On his own approach to ODI game, Dravid said he could never emulate the ways of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, but the sheer fact that he played over 300 matches is enough evidence that he did add value to the side. 

"If it meant occupying the crease for a long time or tiring the bowlers out or blunting out the new ball in difficult conditions so that it's easier to play later, I did it," Dravid said on ESPNCricinfo's videocast with former India player Sanjay Manjrekar.

"I saw that as my job and took great pride in it...That doesn't mean I didn't want to bat like Virender Sehwag and hit those shots but maybe my talent was different. My talent was determination and concentration and I worked on that."

"Of course I wouldn't have survived today if I batted the way I did in my days. Look at the strike rates today. While my strike rate in ODI cricket wasn't up to the level of Sachin's or Viru's but that's the level that we played at back then," he added. 

"Obviously I can't compare myself to Kohli or Rohit Sharma because they have blown the ODI paradigm to an all new level. But to be fair I grew up wanting to be a Test player."

About the "decreasing" value of a sound defensive technique, Dravid said it helps people overcome tough periods and bowling spells in Test cricket, although a lot of batsmen turning up in the traditional format have their games moulded in a way to succeed in the more lucrative limited-overs versions. 

"I think the value is decreasing but you still need to be able to defend your wicket," he said. "See, today don't really need to be a Test cricketer to make a living. You can make a career in T20 or ODI and easily survive without a defensive technique."

"A generation ago, you had to be a Test cricketer to make a living. Many players today have a good defensive technique whether it's Kohli, (Kane) Williamson, or (Steve) Smith."

"Defensive technique is meant to help you survive or play out those difficult periods of the game ... And the very best players of Test cricket are able to do that."

In an honest assessment, Dravid said the ODIs and T20Is are more forgiving of issues in a batsman's technique. 

"If you're talking about pressure as a whole, the fact is that you have to play for five days in a Test Match. There is no running away from that," he said. "In any other format you can get away, but in a Test match you go out and bat, then you watch your team bat then you watch the opposition bat and you have a lot of time to think. So I think the pressure in a Test match is at a different level."

"In T20 format you can get away with a lot more. But if you have glaring weaknesses you cannot survive in Test cricket. In a T-20 format you have a specific role, and if you can perform well in that role you can be successful," added the 47-year-old, who played 164 Tests but also featured in a standalone T20I, apart from taking part in IPL campaigns for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). 

However, Dravid is pleased over the fact that despite all this, the number of players wanting to play Test cricket, at least in India, isn't on an alarming decline. 

"One of the great things for India is that (captain) Virat Kohli values Test cricket. He is always talking about it ... and I think that's a great role model for our young cricketers," said Dravid. 

"I work with a lot of younger players. And when they start off, their heroes are Kohli or Kane Williamson or Smith. They want to play all the formats of the game."

"But some of the less talented or less skilful players realise that it is difficult to break into a team with Kohli or Pujara or (Ajinkya) Rahane."

"But they know that if they practice their white-ball cricket, they can definitely get into an IPL team and make a living," he concluded. 

(Inputs from PTI)