Top 5 Indian Test opening pairs of all time

The longest format has seen several prolific opening pairs since the inception of the format.

The West Indies greats Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes have most runs as an opening combination in the history of Test cricket. Next comes the modern Australian duo of Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, whose stands at the top were so crucial in their country dominating world cricket throughout the early twenty-first century, much like Greenidge and Haynes helped the West Indies do the same forty years ago.

But Sportskeeda traces the five most successful Indian opening pairs in five-day cricket, with the name of a legend, featuring in three of them.

#5 Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth (1981-1987)

1,469 runs in 34 innings

Average – 43.21, 100s – 3 and 50s – 9

Highest – 200

Sunil Gavaskar, the first man to score 10,000 Test runs, and Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the attacking opener of yesteryears, formed one of the most potent opening pairs during their days. In the 34 innings that they opened together, they strung three century partnerships and nine half-century stands.

Having hit as many as 1,469 runs together, their highest while batting together was exactly 200, having opened for India for six years from 1981 onwards, including the 1983 World Cup, where the then underdogs India knocked over the giants West Indies in the final.

#4 Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan (2013-present)

In their very first innings, Murali Vijay and Shikhar put on a massive stand of 289 in 2013

1,511 runs in 38 innings

Average – 40.84, 100 – 2 and 50 – 5

Highest – 289

Yet another pair of one partner calm with the other far more aggressive. Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan have formed a formidable combination for India at the top ever since Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were shown the door for inconsistency in 2013. In their very first innings together, the left-right pair bashed a mountainous 289 against Australia at Mohali in 2013, which till date remains their highest.

Debutant Dhawan showed his intent from the first ball by coming out all guns blazing, whacking boundaries at will. He ended up with 187; and two years later, the pair thwarted Bangladesh at Fatullah with another partnership of 283, meaning that both their stands to have crossed a hundred eventually went on to balloon up massive scores.

#3 Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad (1976-1985)

Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad batted together in 49 innings

1,722 runs in 49 innings

Average – 35.88, 100 – 4 and 50 – 9

Highest – 176*

Before Sunil Gavaskar had found Krishnamachari Srikkanth for the company, he had already started out with the gritty Anshuman Gaekwad five years earlier in 1976. In 49 innings both right-handers added 1,722 runs, breaching the fifty-run mark thirteen times in total with a highest of an unbeaten 176.

Though they averaged a lowly 35.88 despite batting in each other's company so many times, both Gavaskar and Gaekwad had developed a reputation for gathering runs calmly against the best of bowling attacks.

#2 Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan (1973-1981)

Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar averaged over 53 as a pair

3,010 runs in 59 innings

Average – 53.75, 100 – 10 and 50 – 10

Highest – 213

The great Sunil Gavaskar was involved with many partners at the top since his Test debut in 1971, one of whom was Chetan Chauhan. The pair began opening in 1973, with their last association at the top coming eight years later in 1981. A fantastic average of 53.75 showed the understanding between the pair which put on 10 half-centuries and century stands each.

More than 3,000 runs together speak volumes by itself, and their highest remained 213 in 59 innings.

#1 Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (2004-2012)

India are yet to settle on an opening combination since Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir

4,412 runs in 87 innings

Average – 52.52, 100 – 11 and 50 – 25

Highest – 233

Delhi teammates Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir found themselves opening for India as well, when in 2004, Gambhir made his Test debut against Australia at Mumbai. Very soon, they would form one of the best top order pairings during their times, with only England, who had Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook at the top, having some stability.

While the southpaw Gambhir played the supporting role by accumulating quiet runs from one end, it was Sehwag who took on every opposition and every bowler he faced without a tinge of fear, unleashing big shots from the word go. An average exceeding 52 with 11 century stands in a total of 4,412 runs took them to the top of the table among Indian opening pairs; and unfortunately, India are yet to settle on a single opening combination since these two last opened in 2013.