There was a familiar sight at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground on Wednesday. As Samit Dravid made his way to the crease for Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026, it took only a few deliveries for social media to draw comparisons with one of Indian cricket’s greatest batters.The trigger movement, upright stance, high left elbow and compact backlift instantly evoked memories of his father, Rahul Dravid. For many fans watching, it was as if “The Wall” had returned to the crease.Samit arrived under difficult circumstances after the Blasters lost two wickets inside the opening eight deliveries. Rather than panic, the young batter played with composure, scoring 32 from 23 balls to steady the innings before departing.His contribution proved crucial as Rohan Patil struck 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 eventually fell short by just two runs.Although Samit’s innings featured six boundaries, it was his technique that became the biggest talking point. His crisp square cuts, fluent cover drives, controlled pull shots and balanced footwork bore an uncanny resemblance to Rahul Dravid’s trademark style, prompting fans online to describe him as a “photocopy” of the former India captain.Given his upbringing, those comparisons are hardly unexpected. Having grown up in Karnataka’s cricketing system under the guidance of one of the game’s finest technicians, Samit naturally developed many of the batting fundamentals that made his father a legend.Despite the similarities, however, the youngster is shaping a career with a different skill set.Where Rahul built his legacy as one of the greatest specialist batters in cricket history, Samit has emerged as a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder. Alongside his middle-order batting, he offers medium 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, accumulating 362 runs while also claiming 16 wickets. One of the standout performances of that tournament came in the form of a crucial 98 against Jammu and Kashmir.Those performances earned him selection for India’s Under-19 squad for the home series against Australia in 2024. However, a knee injury cut short that opportunity. Since recovering, Samit has resumed his progress and continues to strengthen his credentials through consistent domestic performances with both bat and ball.The Dravid family’s next generation does not end there.Rahul Dravid’s younger son, Anvay Dravid, is also beginning to establish himself on the national stage. Unlike Samit, Anvay is a wicketkeeper-batter, following a role similar to the one his father performed during much 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 captained Karnataka Under-19 to the quarter-finals of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, scoring 220 runs in six matches, including an unbeaten 82. He also represented India Under-19 B in a triangular series involving India A and Afghanistan Under-19 before earning selection for Team C in the Under-19 One-Day Challenger Trophy after another impressive run in domestic cricket.
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