Virender Sehwag's 5 best batting partners in Test cricket

Sehwag announced his retirement from international cricket and the IPL on TuesdayAnother legend of Indian cricket has walked into the sunset today and it is none other than the Nawab of Najafgarh, Virender Sehwag. His retirement brings to an end the golden era of Indian batting where as many as five great batsmen were part of the same line-up.Apart from being a batsman par excellence, another great quality that Sehwag possessed was the knack of forging great partnerships, in most of which, he dominated the proceedings. They say numbers speak for themselves and this stands true for some of the great partnerships that Viru was a part of during his playing days.Here are 5 of the best partnerships that Sehwag was involved in Test cricket:

#5 Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra was one of Sehwag’s earliest opening partners

INNS	RUNS	AVG	100+	50+	HS
19	897	47.21	4	2	164

India’s 2003/04 Tour Down Under was special in more than one way and one of them was India finding a steady opening partnership after quite some time. In fact, this partnership is the only highlight of Aakash Chopra’s otherwise blink-and-you-miss career. The duo of Sehwag and Chopra had already made some amount of impact in a home series against New Zealand with a 164-run partnership in the second Test of the 2-match series.

On their Aussie sojourn, these two put up some memorable opening stands particularly the one in Melbourne. Although it was Sehwag who did most of the scoring, Chopra ensured that he did the classic opener’s job of killing the new ball. However, the partnership did not go on for too long due to Chopra’s failure to convert starts into big scores.

#4 Murali Vijay

Though the partnership with Vijay was brief, it was an effective one

INNS	RUNS	AVG	100+	50+	HS
16	883	55.18	3	1	221

Following a one-match ban imposed on Gautam Gambhir prior to the final Test of the 2008/09 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Murali Vijay was drafted into the side as a replacement opener. Albeit for a short period of time, Sehwag and Vijay did form a formidable opening partnership. In quick time, these two batsmen managed to accumulate as many as 3 century stands. However, it did not end too well due to Sehwag’s dip in form and eventual exit from the Test team.

#3 Gautam Gambhir

Sehwag formed a strong opening partnership with his state teammate Gambhir for a long time

INNS	RUNS	AVG	100+	50+	HS
87	4412	52.52	11	25	233

In one of the most prolific opening partnerships that the cricketing world has ever known, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir laid some fabulous platforms for the other Indian batsmen to capitalise on. Team India had long been looking for an ideal foil for Sehwag at the top of the order. After trying out many permutations and combinations, the selectors roped in the Delhi batsman’s opening partner for their state side, Gautam Gambhir.

After a couple of failures against the touring Australian side, the duo were quick to make amends in the following series with a 218-run partnership against the Proteas in the very first Test. And the rest, as they say, is history. Sehwag and Gambhir became the dream opening pair that India had lost hope of acquiring at a certain point of time.

#2 Rahul Dravid

Sehwag forged a great pairing with ‘The Wall’

INNS	RUNS	AVG	100+	50+	HS
60	3405	58.70	10	11	410

The Sehwag-Dravid combine can be regarded as one of the best partnerships in Indian cricketing history. After posting a century partnership in their very first venture together, this deadly duo never really looked back. Dravid has accompanied Sehwag during at least three of his iconic innings – 254 against Pakistan at Lahore, 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai and 319 against South Africa at the Chepauk.

The 410-run partnership between the two against Pakistan in 2006 is the second highest opening partnership for India in Tests and also the second highest in terms of runs scored. They also have a staggering 10 century stands, 4 of which crossed the 200-run barrier. It was one of the major reasons behind India’s success during the first part of the 2000s.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar

Sehwag shared many wonderful partnerships with his idol Sachin Tendulkar

INNS	RUNS	AVG	100+	50+	HS
23	1560	67.82	4	5	336

This partnership was nothing short of a match made in heaven and you knew it from the first time that they batted together. The year was 2001 and as was a common sight in those days, India were reeling at 68 for 4. The team’s star batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, was waging a lone war against a South African bowling attack comprising of the likes of Pollock and Ntini when he was joined by a nonchalant youngster with a batting style that reminded one of the Master Blaster himself.

What transpired over the next 47 overs is now remembered as the sparkling debut of the most devastating batsman India has ever produced, Virender Sehwag. The 220-run partnership between Sachin and Sehwag propelled the Indian score to 379. Over the next few years, these two went on to create history with some magical partnerships that will remain etched in the memories of the Indian cricket fans forever.