Top 5 left-handed Australian Test openers of all time

Although statistics are not available, it is safe to say that right-handers comfortably outnumber left-handers in cricket and it is the same across the two primary disciplines of the game.

There are usually only one or two left-handed batsmen in any batting line-up and hence, a left-handed opening batsman is a bit of a novelty, all things considered.

The Australian Test team has played some of the finest left-handed batsmen throughout the course of its cricketing history and some of them have been opening batsmen.

Here is a look at 5 of the finest left-handed opening batsmen to have ever represented Australia in Test cricket.

#5 Mark Taylor

The former captain, who oversaw the rise of the team as the most dominant cricketing nation in the world was also one of Australia's best opening batsmen and definitely among the best left-handed opening batsmen to have ever played the game.

Taylor made his debut against the fearsome West Indian fast bowling attack in 1989 and over the next 10 years, he was a rock at the top of the order for Australia. Taylor had an excellent technique and one of his best qualities as a batsman was that he played the ball as late as he possibly could.

It was rare for Taylor to be as troubled by seam and swing as many of his contemporaries. He formed a formidable opening partnership with Michael Slater. Over the course of his career spanning 104 Test matches, Taylor made 7525 runs at an average of 43.49 and also scored 19 centuries, in addition to 40 half-centuries.

He had also scored a brilliant 334 not out against Pakistan back in 1998 and declared the innings since he did not want to surpass Sir Donald Bradman's highest career score.

#4 Bill Lawry

He is perhaps better known among a certain generation of cricket fans for his prowess as a commentator but during his playing days, the left-handed batsman was one of Australia's best opening batsmen in Test cricket.

When Bill Lawry started off his career back in 1961 in England, he was a compulsive stroke-maker but after a few years, he altered his batting style and turned himself into a player, who hardly ever played any strokes.

However, even though Lawry's batting became increasingly unwatchable due to his dogged refusal to give away his wicket, it also became very difficult to get his wicket that easily and that is what made him such a superb opening batsman.

In addition to that, he was an extremely courageous batsman and faced fearsome bowlers like Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Charlie Giffith without giving an inch. In a career consisting of 67 Test matches, Lawry scored 5234 runs at an average of 47.15. He had also scored 13 centuries and 27 half-centuries during the course of his decade-long career.

#3 Justin Langer

Justin Langer was not a natural opening batsman but in fact, a batsman who primarily played at number 3. However, after he made his comeback to the side, he became an excellent number 3 and eventually one of the world's premier opening batsman after Michael Slater lost his place in the side.

Langer turned himself into an ultra-aggressive opening batsman and destroyed bowling attacks all over the world. He was technically superb and at ease against both spin and pace, which is why it did not come as a surprise when he scored runs in all conditions.

He is without a doubt, one of Australia's greatest ever left-handed opening batsmen and in the 65 Test matches that he opened, Langer plundered 5112 runs at an average of 48.22. He made 16 centuries and 18 half-centuries.

#2 David Warner

There has probably never been a more unlikely candidate for the opening batsman's slot in the Australian Test team in the cricketing history of the country.

He came straight into the Australian T20 side prior to having even played in first-class cricket and two years later, he became the Test opener. Since then he has become one of the most destructive opening batsmen in the world and whatever chinks he had in his defensive technique were ironed out pretty soon.

Warner can take on the fastest of bowlers and although he has the requisite defensive technique, he prefers to attack them. A strike rate of 74.73 in 71 Test matches is a clear indication of the sort of competitive edge that he provides to the team.

Warner has scored 6107 runs at an average of 49.65 so far and has notched up 21 centuries, along with 27 half-centuries. By the time, he finishes his career, he will definitely be the highest scoring left-handed opener in Australian cricket history.

#1 Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden is quite simply one of the greatest opening batsmen to have played the game, irrespective of his nationality or that fact that he batted left-handed. However, for the purposes of this article, he is naturally at the summit as far as Australian left-handed opening batsmen are concerned.

Hayden had a bad start to his career and like Langer, he was not a natural opening batsman either but when he returned to the side in around 2000, he never looked back. He became a dominant and intimidating opening batsman, who simply had no weakness.

He was untroubled against extreme pace, seam or swing movement, while on the other hand he was an excellent player of spin and scored lots of runs in the subcontinent during his career.

Hayden opened the batting in 103 Tests and scored 8635 runs at an incredibly (for an opener) average of 50.73. He made 30 centuries and 29 half-centuries in the position.