Top 5 highest individual scores by Indian openers in Australia in test cricket

Virender Sehwag is India’s highest run-scorer among openers in Australia in test cricket.

Opening the batting in test cricket is a tough task as the batter has to face the new hard ball that swings and seams considerably. The challenge for an opener gets exacerbated in Australian conditions due to the pacy and bouncy pitches down under.

It is, in fact, perhaps the toughest job for an Asian opener to even survive let alone score runs in Australia in test cricket.

There have been a few Indian openers, though, who have done well in the alien conditions of Australia. Some have blunted the new ball by defending, while some have done the same by attacking. Some famous wins in Australia for the Indian cricket team have come on the back of terrific performances from their openers.

In this article, we will look at the top five individual scores by Indian openers in Australia in test cricket.

Top 5 highest individual scores by Indian openers in Australia in test cricket:

5. Sunil Gavaskar – 166*, 1985

In the 1985 Adelaide test, Sunil Gavaskar was at his patient-best as he scored 166* off 416 balls, that is a strike rate of 39. This knock from the ‘Original Little Master’ came in reply to Australia’s first innings score of 381.

Gavaskar’s 166 laid the foundation for India’s giant total of 520, which helped them bat Australia out of the game. However, India took 202 overs in their first innings and therefore couldn’t get enough time to bowl Australia out again and the match ended in a draw.

4. VVS Laxman – 167, 2000

VVS Laxman’s batting position was shuffled quite a bit in the early few years of his career in test cricket. In the Sydney test in the year 2000, Laxman opened the batting for India.

Australia had taken a giant first innings lead of 432 runs and a loss was inevitable for India. Laxman, though, produced a superb fight in the second innings, scoring 167 runs off 198 balls, his immaculate wrist-work at play in his 27 fours. India lost the match by an innings but Laxman proved his mettle in Australian conditions.

3. Sunil Gavaskar – 172, 1986

On the 1985/86 tour of Australia, Sunil Gavaskar produced another high-quality innings. In the Sydney test, batting first, Gavaskar scored 172 runs off 400 balls with 19 fours in his knock.

Kris Srikkanth and Mohinder Amarnath also registered centuries in the same innings as India posted 600/4 declared. The match ended in a draw as India couldn’t bowl Australia out twice.

2. Virender Sehwag – 195, 2003

Virender Sehwag’s highest score in Australia in test cricket is 195, which came in the 2003 Melbourne test. Batting first, Sehwag blasted 25 fours and five sixes in his sizzling knock of 195 runs off 233 balls, giving a huge scare to the Aussies.

However, once Sehwag got out, India capitulated. India made 366 in their first innings and would eventually lose the match by nine wickets as Ricky Ponting amassed 257 runs in Australia’s first innings.

1. Ravi Shastri – 206, 1992

The record for the highest score by an Indian opener in Australia in test cricket belongs to Ravi Shastri for his 206-run knock in the Sydney test in 1992.

In reply to Australia’s first innings score of 313, Shastri led India’s batting in their first innings with a double century, scoring 206 runs off 477 balls. India finished with 483 runs. The match ended in a draw.

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