Not Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis but this Aussie bowler challenged Rahul Dravid the most

Former Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid has named Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as the toughest bowlers he faced during his 16-year international career spanning from 1996 to 2012. Dravid, who played 164 Tests, 344 ODIs, and one T20I, made this revelation during a recent appearance on Kutti Stories with Ash, hosted by R Ashwin.During his illustrious career, Dravid encountered numerous world-class bowlers including Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Shaun Pollock, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Chaminda Vaas, Courtney Walsh, James Anderson, Stuart Board, and Makhaya Ntini.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!When asked about the most challenging fast bowler he faced, Dravid specifically highlighted Glenn McGrath's exceptional skills and consistency. He did, however, point out that Akram's abilities were on the downward curve in the fag end of his career."As a fast bowler, it had to be Glenn McGrath. I thought McGrath was… I kind of played Wasim (Akram) and Waqar (Younis) at the back end of their careers. So it's not kind of fair… People who played Wasim earlier say that he was in a different league, and I could imagine after seeing the videos, I can imagine… And even bowling at the back end of his career, he was damn good. But I played McGrath at his peak. He was a phenomenal bowler. He challenged my off stump more than anyone ever did. Just being able to go close to the stumps, get the bounce and just the level of fitness… He was able to come at you right through the whole day. I have played faster bowlers than him, but in terms of consistency and skill, he must be the toughest bowler I've faced."In terms of spin bowling, Dravid acknowledged Muttiah Muralitharan's exceptional abilities and relentless approach."As a spinner, Muralitharan was the best bowler that I played against. Great skill. He had the ability to spin the ball both ways. Especially when he came round the wicket and got the doosra away from you. So, he was someone who was never tired and bowled really long spells. He kept at you and kept at you… and he is just a phenomenal spinner."McGrath's career statistics demonstrate his dominance in international cricket. He represented Australia in 124 Tests and 250 ODIs from 1993 to 2007, claiming 563 Test wickets and 381 ODI wickets.McGrath holds the distinction of being Australia's most successful fast bowler in Test cricket and maintains the record for the most wickets in ODIs for his country.Muralitharan's career numbers are equally impressive. The Sri Lankan spinner accumulated 800 Test wickets, 534 ODI wickets, and 13 T20I wickets during his international career.Dravid's own career statistics underscore his authority to evaluate these bowlers. He amassed over 24,000 runs across all international formats during his career, establishing himself as one of cricket's most accomplished batters.