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The season of T20 cricket is over now, and its time to concentrate more on the longer format of the game. With the one-off test match against test debutants Afghanistan, India will begin the season that will see them face some of the best team in the World in test matches.
India has been one of the best team in the longest format in the past few years and will hope to continue this memorable run in the next 12 months as well.
Famous for their formidable batting line up since the late 1970s, India has produced some of the best batsmen to have ever graced the pitch.
Not just that, some of those legends have even got together to form pairs that have given chills to the fiercest of bowlers in the world and scored heavily when they batted with each other.
As a tribute to all these players, we take a look at 10 most prolific Indian batting pairs in test cricket.
#10 Cheteshwar Pujara - Murali Vijay
The only active batting pair in this list, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay have been the backbone of the Indian top order for the better part of this decade.
Between 2010 and present, these two test specialists have batted together 43 times in test matches. In those 43 innings, the duo has compiled 2788 runs together.
Their average of 64.83 is the highest among all the pairs in this in this list. Apart from that, the duo has 10-century stands, including the best partnership of 370 runs, and nine fifty-plus stands to their name. The duo has saved plenty of matches for India in the past and will continue to do the same in the future as well.
#9 Chetan Chauhan - Sunil Gavaskar
The first Indian opening pair that managed to set the cricketing world on fire with their batting style, the duo of Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar occupy the ninth spot on this list.
Between 1973 and 1981, the period in which Indian Cricket was starting to make an impact in World Cricket, the duo shared 60 stands with each other.
Staying unbeaten in three innings, this pair accumulated 3127 runs together at a stunning average of 54.85.
In addition to that, the duo has eleven 100+ partnerships and ten other 50+ stands to their name, which includes a personal best stand of 213 runs. No doubt these two were the first pair to actually show everyone that Indians can play cricket as well.
#8 Sunil Gavaskar - Dilip Vengsarkar
Just like Gavaskar's pairing with Chauhan, his pairing with fellow Mumbai teammate Dilip Vengsarkar was well documented during that era.
Two of the best Indian players in their own right, the duo played together 67 times in the 11 years between 1976 and 1987, and took India to a number of wins during that period.
The Mumbai duo piled up 3272 runs at an average of 50.33 while batting together. Their 11 century-plus stands were brilliantly complemented with nine other 50+ stands.
Their second-wicket stand of 344* against West Indies is the second best partnership for that wicket among Indian players.
Individually, or together, these two were the backbone of Indian batting in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
#7 Rahul Dravid - Sourav Ganguly
The first pair from India's renowned Fab Five quintet to make it to the list, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have a lot of history with each other on the pitch.
Making their memorable debut together in 1996 on the historic Lords Cricket Ground, this duo of two former Indian skippers was fantastic together in the Indian middle order for 12 years.
Between 1996 and 2008, these two legends batted together in 68 innings and compiled a grand total of 3294 runs at an average of 53.12.
Along with the highest score of 194*, the duo shared nine other century-plus stands and 12 fifty plus stands. Despite their rumored friction on and off the field, these two always created magic whenever they batted together.
#6 Rahul Dravid - Virender Sehwag
Although the pairing of Dravid and Virender Sehwag might seem odd at first sight, considering their contrasting batting styles, the duo has been highly successful in all the format of the game together.
The duo were the backbone of Indian top order for 10 years between 2002 and 2012 and laid the foundation of many memorable wins for India.
Viru and Jammy, as the two are fondly called, batted together 60 times in Test Cricket and piled up 3405 runs at a fantastic average of 58.70.
The duo shared the second highest partnership by an Indian pair when they scored 410 runs together against Pakistan. In addition to that, this phenomenal duo has nine other century-plus stands and 11 other stands of 50 plus during their time together on the crease.
#5 VVS Laxman - Sachin Tendulkar
Even though the pairing between VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar is not that well documented as compared to others from the Fab Four, the two have produced magnificent results whenever these two have batted together in test matches.
Batting at No. 4 and No. 5, the two most vital positions, throughout their career, the two have piled up a plethora of runs.
The duo of Laxman and Tendulkar batted together in 73 innings over a period of 16 years between 1996 and 2012.
In those innings, the two scored 3523 runs at a tremendous average of 51.05. To add to those impressive figures, the two have nine century-plus stands and 11 other 50+stands to their name, including a record partnership of 353 runs.
#4 Rahul Dravid - VVS Laxman
The exploits of these two together on a cricket pitch are well documented. Two of the most determined cricketers in the history of Indian cricket, the two became famous for winning matches for India individually.
Whenever these two played together during their 16-year time as each other's teammates, the two always created magic with the bat and gave scares to the opposition bowlers.
The two played with each other in 86 innings between 1996 and 2012, in which the two piled up 4165 runs at a stunning average of 51.45.
The two were also part of 12 century-plus stands and 14 other 50+stands. However, the match that defines this duo is the memorable Kolkata Test between India and Australia in 2001, where these two piled up 376 runs and batted the whole fourth day to lay the foundation of India's victory.
#3 Sourav Ganguly - Sachin Tendulkar
There is a really big misconception that Dada and the Master Blaster were only successful as a pair in ODI cricket, especially when you consider that the two are third best test batting pair in the history of Indian Cricket.
While the two terrorized the bowler at the start of the innings in ODI cricket, the two were equally formidable in the longer format as well where they batted together in the middle order.
In the 12 year period between 1996 and 2008, the two played together in 71 innings in which they accumulated a grand total of 4173 runs at a gargantuan average of 61.36.
Their 12-century stands, which includes the highest stand of 281, is the joint second best in the most century partnership by an Indian pair list.
Apart from that, this legendary pair has 16 other 50+ stands to their name.
#2 Gautam Gambhir - Virender Sehwag
One of the most prolific opening pairs in the history of cricket, the duo of Delhi Boys, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, occupies the runner-up spot on this list.
This left hand-right hand combination was India's first choice opening pair for almost eight years between 2004 and 2012, and the duo played a vital role in a number of victories for the team by giving important starts at the top of the inning.
Having batted together in 87 innings, the duo scored a cumulative total of 4412 runs at an outstanding average of 52.52.
In fact, there was a time around 2009-10 when these two were the best two opening batsmen in the whole world. In addition to that, the two batsmen have shared 11 century-plus stands, which includes a personal best stand of 231 runs, and 25 other 50+ scores to their name.
#1 Rahul Dravid - Sachin Tendulkar
This one was a no-brainer. The pairing of Indian legends Dravid and Tendulkar is the most prolific Test pairing in the whole world, let alone among all Indian pairs.
Forming the backbone of Indian Cricket Team for the better of last 20 years, the two have made records, broken records and won more matches for a team than any two players in the whole world.
In the 16 year period between 1996 and 2012, this legendary was at the crease 143 times in test cricket.
In those 143 innings, they piled up a grand total of 6920 runs at a stunning average of 50.51 and the highest stand of 249 runs.
With 20 century-plus stands and 29 other 50+ stands, these two used to send shivers down the spines of the bowlers at their prime.
It would be years before someone can even come close to the stats that these two piled up together.
Did we miss out on any pair from our list? Sound off in the comments section below!
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