Earlier we prepared a list of the highest runs scored by Indian batsmen at different batting positions in ODI cricket, now we have come up with another list comprising of the highest runs scored by Indian batsmen at different positions in Test Cricket.
Test cricket is regarded as the mother of all formats of cricket and rightly so because it is in this format that the grit and character of a cricketer are put to the est. So here is a list of those gritty Indian players who recorded high scores for different batting positions.
March 11, 2001,
|
Batting Position |
Player name |
Opponent |
Date |
Venue |
Runs scored |
Description |
|
No. 1/No. 2 |
Virender Sehwag |
Pakistan/ South Africa |
January 13 2006/March 26, 2008 |
Gaddafi stadium, Lahore/M.A Chidambaram stadium, Chennai |
254 /319 |
Though Sehwag made the highest runs by an opener in the match against Pakistan, but the match is mostly remembered for incredible batting performances by the Pakistan team. Four of their players, Younus Khan, Md. Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, and Kamran Akmal made centuries in a stand of 679. And among the wide array of ‘Sehwag’ innings the knock of 319 is regarded as the best by the player himself. Sehwag stayed out of test cricket for a year and then came to the forefront with back to back tons, cementing his position in the team. Sehwag played all the shots in the book and everyone watching the match hailed it as the best innings they had ever seen. This was the match where new records were made. 319 became the highest score made by a batsman in a match between India and South Africa. It became the fastest triple ton made by a player and the record still stands. And also this was the 1st time that two double century partnerships were made in the same game, one between Sehwag and Jaffer which was a stand of 213 runs and a 255 runs partnership between Viru and Dravid. |
|
No. 3 |
VVS Laxman |
Australia |
Eden Garde2001,lkata |
281 |
No cricket fan can possibly forget this match; it’s still fresh in everyone’s mind like it happened yesterday. This was the most iconic comeback by India against a superpower like Australia. Australia had batted first and set the mammoth total of 445 and India’s batting could only conjure 171 runs. Made to follow on, Laxman continued to show the finesse of the 1st innings when he was promoted to No. 3 in the 2nd innings. All bowlers suffered at the hand of Laxman who was playing the lethal Australian short ball like no other Indian batsman had ever played. With a partnership of 376 for the fifth wicket between Laxman and Dravid, India declared at 657-7 and bowled out the Aussies for 212 runs winning the match by 171 runs. According to Laxman this innings is said to have ‘altered the cricket world’s perception of India’ |
|
|
No. 4 |
Sachin Tendulkar |
Bangladesh |
December 10, 2004 |
Bangabandhu National stadium, Dhaka |
248* |
Anything said about the prowess and class of this particular individual would be an understatement. With most of the records to his name, this innings by Sachin Tendulkar was also a recod breaking one. This ton was Sachin’s 34th placing him in the same position as Sunil Gavskar who previously held the record for the most tons and now we know who holds that record and it will take a lot of time to surpass it. Though an easy victory against a relatively small team, Sachin’s performace was a treat for the fans. |
|
No. 5 |
VVS Laxman |
Australia |
October 29, 2008 |
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi |
200* |
Laxman has the best records against Australia and they can be called his favourite opponents. This match too was another masterclass performance by the batsman. In a drawn match Laxman was awarded the MoM trophy for his unbeaten 200 in the 1st innings and his 59* in the second innings showing how he enjoys the challenges of facing the Australian attack. |
|
No. 6 |
Mahendra Singh Dhoni |
Australia |
February 22, 2013 |
M.A Chidabaram stadium, Chennai |
224 |
It was Dhoni’s first double century and is the highest score made by an Indian captain. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. They were bundled up for 380 and in reply India posted 572 runs thanks to a ton from Kohli and a double hundred from the captain. The match ended in a thumping 8 wicket loss for the Aussies and the series in totality was a feather in Dhoni’s cap,as he achieved complete whitewash of 4-0. |
|
No. 7 |
Kapil Dev |
Sri Lanka |
December 17, 1986 |
Green Park, Kanpur |
163 |
A match where India put up an all round performance and excelled in both the fields. Kapil Dev took wickets and also recorded the highest runs by an Indian batsman at No. 7. Sunil Gavaskar was declared the MoM and the match was drawn. |
|
No. 8 |
Mahendra Singh Dhoni |
West Indies |
November 14, 2011 |
Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
144 |
This match was the match where both Laxman and Dhoni were playing to prove their metal. Laxman made 176* reaching his 1st century in the last 15 months. And as for Dhoni, this was his 1st hundred after a year, which he scored at the same venue. An exceptional batting performance by the team where Dravid too made a century, the hosts won by an innings and 15 runs. |
|
No. 9 |
Farokh Engineer |
New Zealand |
February 27, 1965 |
Nehru stadium, Chennai |
90 |
Farokh engineer was an agile wicketkeeper and he had to be one, keeping for the likes of Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrashekar and Venkataraghavan. And in a drawn match Engineer recorded this feat. |
|
No. 10 |
R.B. Desai |
Pakistan |
December 2, 1960 |
Brabourne stadium, Mumbai |
85 |
This was the time when you had rest days in the matches, traditionally a day off between the 3rd and 4th day. Batting first Pakistan had put up 350 runs to which India’s reply was a total of 449 runs. The match ended in a draw and Desai’s 85 was the highest score in the Indian batting. |
|
No. 11 |
Zaheer Khan |
Bangladesh |
December 10, 2004 |
Bangabandhu National stadium, Dhaka |
75 |
It was the same match that Sachin made 248* runs that Zaheer Khan made a record of the highest runs made by a No 11 batsman which was later broken by Tino Best in 2012 against England. |