6 makeshift Indian openers with Test hundreds

#1 Virender Sehwag

So successful and destructive was Virender Sehwag as Test opener that it is easy to forget he wasn't a specialist at that position. The fact is that Sourav Ganguly and the team management decided to ask Sehwag to open as there was no place in the middle-order, and they didn’t want a talent like Sehwag to be wasted.

To say the move proved to be a master-stroke would be an understatement.

Sehwag went on to open the batting in 99 of the 104 Tests he played, averaging just over 50 with 22 hundreds. Apart from his debut hundred, all his other tons came as an opener.

Sehwag first opened in England during the 2002 tour. He got 84 at Lord’s followed by 106 at Nottingham. There was no looking back from that point.

Sehwag went on to slam two triple hundreds and a 293 in his illustrious career, the only player in history to do so.

About the author

Renin Wilben Albert is a journalist who covers cricket at Sportskeeda. His passion for the sport stems from a childhood dream of becoming a cricketer. Although that path didn't unfold, Renin embraced an alternative career in cricket, channeling his love into journalism. Backed with a bachelor's degree in Mass Media (BMM) and 18 years of journalism experience, Renin brings a strong journalism guidelines to his work. He is also the Author of the book '10 Life Lessons from 10 Great Cricketers'.

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Edited by Musab Abid