5 highest Indian partnerships in an overseas Test (outside Asia)

Batting partnerships in cricket are one of the most important aspects of the game.

India are often known as a batting country. However, when they travel abroad batsmen have struggled (sometimes). But every time India have been able to put up big scores, they have done well. And those big scores have come on the back of some very good partnerships.

Note - Only partnerships outside Asia have been taken into consideration

---

#5 Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly – 249 (Leeds - 2002)

Throughout the 1990s, India dominated at home but struggled when they toured overseas. In fact, their only away series win in the last decade of the 20th century came in Sri Lanka in 1993. Thus, India weren’t great travellers.

In 2002, when India toured England, they started off the tour on a superb note – winning the Natwest Tri-series. However, England beat India in the first Test and the latter managed to hold onto a draw in the second one. The third Test was at Leeds, Headingley where most visiting teams struggled (in the past).

Under overcast skies and with a pitch covered with a decent amount of grass, the Indian captain surprised everyone when he chose to bat first after winning the toss. He even played two spinners (Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh). However, his decision paid off as the batsmen stood up and delivered a brilliant performance. Rahul Dravid (148) and Sanjay Bangar (68) battled hard in tough conditions but they batted beautifully to set-up the game for India.

However, it was Ganguly and Tendulkar who consolidated the visitor’s position of strength. Skipper Sourav Ganguly who walked into bat at No. 5 after a 150-run stand between Dravid and Tendulkar (at 335/3), just continued the good work done by the top-order.

Tendulkar and Ganguly put on 249 for the fourth wicket on the second day of the Test match. They were patient at the start of their respective innings with the ball moving around, but once they were set they dominated the English attack. Ganguly, in particular, was severe against off-spinner Ashley Giles as he used his feet regularly and hit him over the top.

Tendulkar, on the other hand, was his usual self. Driving, cutting and pulling the ball with authority. Though there was an odd play and a miss, the duo were largely untroubled. Thus, their partnership of 249 helped India reach a mammoth total of 628.

Tendulkar scored 193 while Ganguly made 128. Eventually, India won the game by an innings and 46 runs to square the series 1-1.

#4 Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – 255 (Nottingham - 1996)

Ganguly was awarded the player of the tournament (for India) in the 1996 Test series in England.

At #4 it’s once again, the pair of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

In 1996, India began the England tour with a 2-0 loss in the 3-match ODI series. And they lost the first Test comprehensively. They were also beaten by Derbyshire in a Tour game just before the second Test. However, the second Test helped India unearth two stars – Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

However, with a draw in the second Test, they were still trailing in the series. In the third Test (which was at Nottingham), India won the toss and batted first. However, they found themselves in some early trouble as they lost the first two wickets pretty early.

This bought Sourav Ganguly (who walked out at No. 3) and Sachin Tendulkar together at 33/2. And the way they batted was brilliant. They put on 255 for the third wicket and ensured that India didn’t lose another wicket on the first day.

Ganguly, fresh off a hundred on debut (at Lord’s) struck a superb 136 in his 6-hour stay at the crease. He hit 17 fours and 2 sixes. Tendulkar, on the other hand, scored a magnificent 177. In his 462-minute stay at the crease, Tendulkar hit 26 fours. The duo’s effort helped India get to 521 in their first innings.

#3 Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane – 262 (Melbourne - 2014)

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane were simply brilliant in that MCG Test.

India’s tour of Australia in 2014 will be remembered for a couple of reasons. One, MS Dhoni shockingly bid adieu to Test cricket at the end of the Boxing Day Test. Two, the way Steve Smith and Virat Kohli batted throughout the series.

Already trailing 2-0 in the series even after playing very well, India were under pressure in the Boxing Day Test. They had conceded 500 for the third consecutive time in the first innings and were in a spot of bother while batting.

At 147/3, things weren’t looking great. At that moment, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane joined hands and put up an exhibition of some thrilling and world-class batting. They forged a counter-attacking 262-run stand for the 4th wicket to drag India back into the game.

The way they took on the pace trio of Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Josh Hazlewood was just brilliant. They had an answer to every plan of the Aussie bowling attack. They pulled with authority, nailed the drives through the off-side and more importantly kept rotating the strike and complemented each other very well. Kohli made 169 (his third ton of the series) while Rahane scored 147.

Their stand of 262 came at a very good rate. Their counter-attack put the pressure back on Australia as India inched closer to Australia’s first innings total of 530. However, India collapsed after their stand and were dismissed for 465 (409 was the score when Rahane got out).

Australia then 318 to set India a target of 384, but Dhoni (in what was his final Test) helped India salvage a draw in the end.

#2 Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman – 303 (Adelaide - 2003)

Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman dragged India back into the game after being down and out at 85/4.

Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman certainly loved playing against Australia. Almost every time India were in trouble against the Aussies, it was invariably either Laxman or Dravid (or both) who bailed India out of trouble.

In 2003, India began their Australian tour with a draw in Brisbane. However, Australia found themselves in command when India were reeling at 85/4 in pursuit of Australia’s first innings total of 556.

However, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman who had tormented the Aussies in their last series (at Eden Gardens in 2001) were at it once again. The only difference was that this time Rahul Dravid was the aggressor and VVS Laxman played second fiddle and this was the first innings of the game.

The duo dominated the Australian bowling attack. Their 303-run partnership at that time was the best for India outside Asia (for any wicket). Their partnership turned the game on its head as it helped India reach 523 in their first innings and reduce the deficit to just 33.

Dravid scored a magnificent 233 and Laxman made 148. Both of them first saw off testing spells from the Aussie bowlers and then started scoring freely once they were set.

On the back of Ajit Agarkar’s 6/42 and Dravid’s unbeaten 72, India beat Australia in Australia for the first time in 22 years. Hence, when we look back it was the Dravid-Laxman partnership that set-up the game for India.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman – 353 (Sydney - 2004)

Tendulkar ended the series on a high with a career-best (then) of 241.

The 2004 Sydney Test (New Year’s Test) is mainly remembered as it was Steve Waugh’s last Test match. And it was also remembered for Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 where he didn’t hit a single cover drive.

India after having won the second Test (in Adelaide), lost comprehensively to Australia in the next Test at the MCG. However, they were in with a very good chance of winning their first-ever series in Australia when the teams moved to Sydney for the fourth Test.

India batted first and got off to an excellent start (with a 123-run opening stand). However, they were soon reduced to 194/3 and they suffered a collapse in the previous Test. However, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman came together at that stage and produced a fabulous partnership of 353.

Tendulkar, in particular, who had gone through an under-par series till then consciously made an effort not to drive the ball through the offside. The master blaster was very patient throughout his innings of 241 as he watched VVS Laxman produce a special innings at the other end. The duo blunted the Aussie bowling attack (Lee, Gillespie, Bracken and MacGill) superbly as their partnership set-up India’s first innings total of 705 (their highest ever Test score at that time).

India were on course to register their first series win down under, but a gritty 80 from skipper Steve Waugh (in his final innings) and a 77 from Simon Katich helped Australia eke out a draw.