South Africa vs India 2018: 5 most prolific run-scoring pairs for India in South Africa

After dominating in home conditions across all the three formats, the Indian team has finally embarked on its overseas sojourn.

Their first challenge will be against South Africa, a country where the Indian team has never won any series and hence the upcoming series will test this particular outfit.

"One and half years will define Indian cricket. Tour of South Africa, Australia and England. This will be a better team after this 18 months," coach Ravi Shastri said before the Indian team left for South Africa.

Despite the tough conditions, there have been players over the years, who have stitched together invaluable partnerships for India.

#5 Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay

Perhaps, the two most important cogs in the Indian batting line-up in the upcoming tour, opener Murali Vijay, and Cheteshwar Pujara at number three hold the key to India's fortunes.

They have had several match-winning partnerships for India back home and now it is time to replicate the same overseas, especially against the new ball.

Having said that, Vijay and Pujara have tasted some success in South Africa together and in the three innings they have played together, they have scored 234 runs at an average of 78.

They have been involved in one fifty and a century stand with the highest partnership of 157.

This is a positive sign for India, as both these players go into the series much more aware of their individual games and hence would hope to dig in and carve few more match-defining partnerships together.

#4 VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar

The nucleus of the famed batting Indian line-up, VVS Laxman, and Sachin Tendulkar have been responsible for several surreal knocks, both individually and as a pair, all across the world.

Although, as a pair they did not taste as much success in South Africa, they did have few memorable stands together.

From 1997-2011, they were involved in 11 innings and managed to score 285 runs at an average of 28.50. They remained unbeaten only once and shared the highest partnership of 64 runs.

#3 Mohammed Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar

Two sublime stroke-makers, two prolific run-scorers, and two batsmen with astute techniques, Mohammed Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar lit up many cricketing fields with their plethora of strokes and hence when they got together, they dished out a sumptuous feast for the eyes.

Even when the rest of the batting faltered around them in South Africa, Azhar and Sachin seemed to be unflappable and from 1992-1997, they were involved in five innings together in which they made 288 runs at an average of 57.60.

Their highest stand was 222 and this particular partnership had everyone in rapt attention, such was the audacity of their stroke play.

#2 Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara

Indian captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara have piled up runs for fun over the past 15 months, but they will know that their biggest Test awaits them when they land in South Africa.

However, they have fond memories of the country as they were amongst the runs during the previous trip and in three innings they scored 326 runs together which included an epic 222 at the Wanderers.

They have been involved in one fifty and a century stand and their average together is 108.67.

#1 Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly

The two superstars of Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have shared plenty of match-defining partnerships for India right through their careers.

Rahul Dravid was always lauded for his watertight technique, Ganguly, on the other hand, was more expressive and hence when they combined together, runs flowed quite easily.

From the period of 1997-2007, Ganguly-Dravid combined together for five innings and scored 372 runs together at an average of 74.40 which is quite impressive.

They were involved in one fifty run and a couple of century stands and their highest partnership was worth 145 runs.