Gifted off-side player, discarded after one ODI on debut as a teenager in Australia in 1991-2 but made hundreds in his first two Tests on comeback in 1996.

India's most successful Test captain, was sacked as one-day player in October 2005 and from Tests four months later but made a strong comeback in South Africa.

He has gone on to become the first Indian left-hander to score 7,000 Test runs during a memorable farewell Test series against Australia.