On the eve of 500th Test match of India, due on 22 September 2016 in Kanpur between India and Zealand, We bring series of articles on the best contributes in each area of Test cricketing specialties over the last 84 years. the first of the series is about the opening batsmen for India staring with most recent and going backwards.
Best 5 openers for India in Test cricket
- Virender Sehwag – Best Opener in Test Cricket
Virender Sehwag was one of the explosive openers for India in test matches. He changed the style of batting in test matches. Making his test debut in 2001 against South Africa as middle order batsmen, Sehwag was soon promoted as an opener during the 2001 England tour. Since then he continued to hold the opening position for India in test matches till he retired. His ability to hit hard in contrary to the belief in hose days that an opener must play a defensive game, that put pressure on the opposition bowlers made him a nightmare for the opening bowlers of the best teams in the world.
In all he played 104 test matches and scored 8586 runs at an average of 49.34. In test matches he scored 2 triple centuries with a best score of 319 against South Africa. He scored 23 centuries and 30 50 plus runs in the entire career, which made one of the greatest openers for India. Sehwag played his last test match in 2013 against Australia and retried from test matches in October 2015. He was also recognized as a scintillating opener in ODIs and T 20 for India.
