Top 5 number 5s in Tests for India
India is often regarded as the land of batsmen and it is quite correct considering the plethora of superb batsmen that the country has produced throughout the course of its cricketing history. India has produced some of the world's greatest middle-order batsmen in Test cricket and many of them have batted at number 5.
Even the great Sachin Tendulkar batted at number 5 on a few occasions but others batted more and scored more, hence the great man doesn't make the cut here. His average of 59.69 at number 5 in 30 Tests deserves special mention though. So, who else makes the cut?
Here is a look at 5 of the best number 5s for India in Test cricket.
#5 Sourav Ganguly
When he first burst on to the scene in Test cricket back in 1996 by scoring a century on debut at Lord's, Sourav Ganguly batted at number 3 but it was at number 5 that he batted for the most of his career. In a 12 year career from that ended in 2008, he played 113 Tests and in 68 of those, he batted at number 5 for India.
There was no doubt that he was one of the most outstanding stroke-makers in the eleven and was best known for his mastery over off-side play. Ganguly was equally merciless on spin bowling but there was one glaring chink in his armoury and that was a weakness against genuinely quick bowling. The short ball troubled him throughout his career.
Even then, he remains the second highest scorer in the position for India with an aggregate of 3440 runs, at a rather modest average of 37.39. The left-hander made 6 centuries and 18 half-centuries while batting at number 5.