3 most prolific opening combinations for India in Test cricket
In the Test format, India have always been blessed with world-class openers.
Sunil Gavaskar became the first man to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket, while Kris Srikkanth revolutionised the way batsmen approached the opening slot. Navjot Singh Sidhu enthralled audiences with his six-hitting prowess, and Virender Sehwag took it a step further with his destructive batting.
Murali Vijay's class and poise served India well at the top of the order, while Gautam Gambhir was always up to the fight in any conditions. And more recently, the Indian Test team has seen the rise of talented young openers like Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw.
Despite many greats of the game and young talent all featuring for India in the longest format of the game, the side has seen only a few set opening combinations. In this article, we take a look at the 3 most prolific opening combinations for India in Test match cricket.
#3 Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay (1,748 runs)
Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay have amassed 1,748 runs as an opening pair, the third-most prolific partnership against the new ball for India in Test matches. They average 43.93 runs per partnership, which is very respectable considering the fact that they have played games in South Africa, England, and Australia.
A right-left combination is vital to disrupt opposition bowlers' plans for the new ball, and this was evidenced right from the outset as Dhawan and Vijay put on 289 runs in their first-ever innings against Australia in 2013. Although they have been part of only two other century partnerships, they provided some much-needed solidity at the top of the order.
Since their incredible debut, however, Dhawan and Vijay have played only 41 innings in 6 years, with both batsmen suffering the occasional dip in form. Both openers are currently not part of the Test team, although they should be given another go in the near future.