Cricket fans love seeing opening batsmen play together for a long time. When two players at the start of batting create big scores, it makes the game exciting. Here at 96.in bet, you will get to know about the biggest opening partnerships in Test cricket history.
What is an Opening Partnership?
An opening partnership happens when the first two batsmen play together. They face the new ball and try to score many runs. The partnership ends when one of them gets out. A strong opening partnership gives the team a good start.
The World Record Partnership
The highest 1st wicket partnership in test cricket belongs to two players from South Africa. Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie scored 415 runs together against Bangladesh in 2008. This amazing record happened in Chattogram during a Test match.
Both players scored double centuries. Smith made 232 runs in just 277 balls, while McKenzie scored 226 runs in 388 balls. They batted together for more than 400 minutes. On the first day alone, they put 405 runs on the board without losing a wicket. This was the most runs ever scored by a pair in a single day of Test cricket.
Smith was the captain of South Africa at that time. He was known for making big partnerships with different players. In fact, Smith was part of four opening partnerships that scored more than 300 runs. This shows how great he was as an opening batsman.
India’s Best Opening Stand
India also has some wonderful opening partnerships. The highest 1st wicket partnership in test cricket for India was made by Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy. They scored 413 runs against New Zealand in 1956.
This partnership happened in Chennai and lasted for many hours. Mankad scored 231 runs, which was India’s highest individual score in Tests at that time. This record stood for 52 years before Smith and McKenzie broke it in 2008.
Mankad was a special player. He could bat well and bowl with his left arm. He became the first Indian player to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in Test cricket. The partnership with Roy remains one of the greatest moments in Indian cricket history.
Another great partnership for India came in 2006. Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid scored 410 runs together against Pakistan in Lahore. Sehwag played an attacking innings and made 254 runs with 47 fours. Dravid supported him well with 128 runs. This was India’s highest opening partnership in an away Test match.
Other Famous Opening Partnerships
New Zealand also has a big opening partnership in Test cricket. Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis scored 387 runs against West Indies in 1972. They played in Georgetown and both scored big hundreds. Turner made 259 runs while Jarvis scored 182 runs.
Australia has also seen many great opening partnerships. Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson scored 382 runs against West Indies in 1965. Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer were another famous pair. They made six partnerships of 200 or more runs, which is the most by any opening pair.
Top 5 Highest Opening Partnerships in Test Cricket
| Rank | Partners | Runs | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 1 | Graeme Smith & Neil McKenzie | 415 | South Africa | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 2008 |
| 2 | Vinoo Mankad & Pankaj Roy | 413 | India | New Zealand | Chennai | 1956 |
| 3 | Virender Sehwag & Rahul Dravid | 410 | India | Pakistan | Lahore | 2006 |
| 4 | Glenn Turner & Terry Jarvis | 387 | New Zealand | West Indies | Georgetown | 1972 |
| 5 | Bill Lawry & Bob Simpson | 382 | Australia | West Indies | Bridgetown | 1965 |
Why Opening Partnerships Matter?
A good opening partnership helps the whole team. When openers score many runs, it puts pressure on the bowling side. The team gets a strong platform to build a big total. Opening batsmen face the new ball, which is hard and swings more. Playing well at this time requires skill and patience.
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