5 highest partnerships for India in Tests

#1 413 – Pankaj Roy & Vinoo Mankad vs New Zealand at Madras, 1956

Roy and Mankad shared India’s highest ever partnership by runs

One of the earliest great chapters in the history of Indian batting came in the year 1956 when Pankaj Roy and Vinoo Mankad put together a legendary 413-run partnership against New Zealand at Madras (now Chennai). It is an opening partnership record which stayed for 52 years before South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie broke it in 2008.

The Indians batted first after winning the coin toss and gave Roy and Mankad ample opportunity to create history. The duo did not disappoint and kept on piling the misery on the hapless Kiwis until Pankaj Roy ultimately got out for a crafty 173 with 413 runs added for the 1^st wicket.

Mankad went on to score 231 and India declared at 537 for 3, leaving the Kiwis clueless about how to proceed. The Indian bowlers complemented the special effort of the batsmen by dismissing their opponents for 209 and 219 in their two innings respectively and giving the team an innings victory.