Rahul Dravid and Samit Dravid (Agency photo)
There was a familiar sight at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. When Samit Dravid made his way to the crease for Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters in the KSCA T20 Maharaja T20 2026, it only took a few social media deliveries to draw comparisons with one of the greatest batsmen in Indian cricket.The trigger action, upright stance, high left elbow and built-in back lift immediately evoked memories of his father Rahul Dravid. For many fans watching the film, it was as if “The Wall” had returned to the forefront.
Samit arrived under difficult circumstances after the Blasters lost two wickets in their first eight deliveries. Instead of panicking, the young batsman played calmly, scoring 32 off 23 balls to steady the innings before departing.His contribution proved crucial as Rohan Patel scored 64 and Praveen Dubey added 51 to guide Bengaluru Blasters to 203/7. Hubli Tigers mounted a spirited chase led by Manvanth Kumar’s explosive 60 but ultimately fell short by just two runs.Although Sammit’s innings included six boundaries, it was his technique that became the biggest talking point. His crisp square cuts, neat shots, controlled shots and balanced footwork bore an uncanny resemblance to Rahul Dravid’s trademark style, prompting fans online to describe him as a ‘copy’ of the former India captain.
Given his upbringing, these comparisons are not unexpected. Having grown up in the Karnataka cricket system under one of the game’s finest technicians, Samit naturally developed many of the batting fundamentals that made his father a legend.Despite the similarities, the young man is forging a career with a different skill set.While Rahul built his legacy as one of the greatest specialist batsmen in the history of cricket, Samit emerged as a true bowler.
Besides his average batting, he offers average pace and has already made a strong impression in age-group cricket.He played a pivotal role in Karnataka’s victorious 2023-24 Cooch Behar Trophy campaign, amassing 362 runs while also taking 16 wickets. One of the standout performances of that tournament came in the form of a crucial 98 against Jammu and Kashmir.These performances earned him selection for the India Under-19 team for the domestic tournament against Australia in 2024.
However, a knee injury cut short that opportunity. Since his recovery, Summitt has resumed his progress and continues to bolster his credentials with consistent domestic performances with both bat and ball.The next generation of the Dravid family does not end there.Rahul Dravid’s younger son, Anvay Dravid, is also starting to establish himself on the national stage. Unlike Samit, Anvay is a wicket-keeper, following a similar role to the one his father played during most of his international career.The 17-year-old was recently named in India’s Under-19 squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, which begins on July 14.Anvay led Karnataka Under-19s to the quarter-finals of the Venu Mankad Trophy, scoring 220 runs in six matches, including an unbeaten 82. He also represented India U19 in a tri-series involving India A and Afghanistan U19 before being selected for the C team in the U19 One-Day Challenger Cup after another impressive career in domestic cricket.
