Highest Test match scores in each batting position for India

Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan

India has produced some great batsmen in the Test arena over the years. The list is long and it comprises some of the finest batsmen the world has ever seen with the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman and Virat Kohli making the list.

These are legendary names who have played some brilliant knocks during their respective careers. To be called a great Test batsman, it is imperative to play innings of substance and in Test cricket, daddy hundreds are considered as match-winning contributions. Let's take a look at some of these contributions by glancing at the list of highest runs in an innings at each batting position by Indian batsmen:


Opening - Virender Sehwag (319)

Sehwag had the knack of playing long innings
Sehwag had the knack of playing long innings

Virender Sehwag was technically not the finest but he has been easily the most destructive Indian batsman till date. He could score hundreds within a matter of sessions and had the ability to single-handedly take India to a respectable score.

He holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian which he made as an opener. He made 319 in just 304 balls against South Africa in Chennai during the Test series in 2008.


Number 3 - VVS Laxman (281)

Laxman was a magician with the bat
Laxman was a magician with the bat

A magician with the bat, VVS played arguably the most precious inning in the history of Indian cricket when he made 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2001. He and Rahul Dravid were instrumental in winning the Test match for India from a precarious position. VVS Laxman's 281 is the highest score for India at number 3 position.


Number 4 - Sachin Tendulkar (248*)

Sachin has played many great innings for India
Sachin has played many great innings for India

A list which talks about batting records will seldom be complete without the mention of legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin scored his highest individual score of 248 not out against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2004. This is incidentally the highest score by an Indian batsman at number 4 position.

Number 5 - Karun Nair (303*)

Karun Nair has a triple hundred to his name in Tests
Karun Nair has a triple hundred to his name in Tests

Karun Nair is not a well-known name in Test cricket, but he had his moment of glory when he scored a triple hundred in his third Test match. He scored 303 not out against England at Chennai in 2016. This is the highest score by an Indian batsman at the number 5 position.


Number 6 - MS Dhoni (224)

Dhoni had an average Test career
Dhoni had an average Test career

MS Dhoni could never replicate the success of one day cricket in Test cricket. His overseas record was average, to say the least, but he had his moments in the Indian conditions. One of those moments came when he scored a swashbuckling 224 against Australia at Chennai in 2013. This is the highest score by an Indian batsman at number 6 position.


Number 7 - Kapil Dev (163)

Kapil was devastating with the bat
Kapil was devastating with the bat

Easily the best all-rounder India has ever produced, Kapil Dev played some scintillating knocks in Test cricket. His knocks often took India out of trouble and when he got going he could hit the cricket ball a long way. One such knock came against Sri Lanka in 1986 at Kanpur when he scored 163 batting at number 7 position for India. This is the highest score by an Indian batsman at number 7 position.


Number 8 - MS Dhoni (144)

Dhoni scored the highest runs for an Indian batsman at number 8 position when he scored 144 against West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2011. Two other batsmen, namely Laxman and Dravid, also scored centuries in the same innings.


Number 9 - Jayant Yadav (104)

Another not so well known player from India on the list, Jayant Yadav who is primarily a spinner, scored a hundred in his third Test match. Jayant Yadav came in to bat at the number 9 position and scored 104 in the Mumbai Test during 2016 England tour of India. This is the highest score by an Indian batsman at number 9 position.

Number 10 - Ramakant Desai (85)

Ramakant Desai
Ramakant Desai

Another cricketer who is a relatively lesser known name in the Indian cricket fraternity, Ramakant Desai was a medium pacer. He played just 28 Tests for India which fetched him 74 wickets. Desai has the distinction of having the highest individual score for India while batting at number 10 position. He scored 85 while batting at number 10 position against arch-rivals Pakistan during a Test at Mumbai in the year 1960.


Number 11 - Zaheer Khan (75)

Zaheer Khan was a handy lower order bat
Zaheer Khan was a handy lower order bat

This is a list one least expects Zaheer Khan to feature in. Zaheer had his moment of glory as a batsman when he scored 75 against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2004 batting at number 11 position. India went on to win the Test by an innings and 140 runs. This is the highest score by an Indian batsman at number 11 position.

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Edited by Umang