Opening in Test cricket has always been one of the most difficult responsibilities. Especially when there is a team like India in front, who have good bowlers.
All the cricket lovers know that there is no scope for a mistake on the new ball and the new pitch. A small lapse may be overshadowed by the entire team.
In the fifth Test being played at the recently, Zack Croly and Ben Docket made an opening partnership of more than 50 runs against India. This was his sixth opening partnership in Test cricket against India.
Along with this, he equaled Gordon Greenies and Demad Hens in terms of 50+ opening partnerships in Test cricket against India.
After this historical achievement of the pair of Docket and Croly, here we are going to give you information about the most frequently partnership couples of 50+ in Tests against India.
Most of the time 50+ partnership couples in Tests against India
5. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook (England) – 7 times
The pair of Strauss and Cook is counted among England’s most stable opening pairs. The opening pair shared more than 50 runs against India 7 times in 20 innings.
4. Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer (Australia) – 7 times
In the 2000s, the pair of Hayden and Langer became Australia’s strength. He shared more than 50 more than 50 in 16 innings against India.
Hayden’s aggression and Langer’s combative batting together scored a big score against India’s bowlers. Especially in the 2004 historic series, when Australia won the series in India, the pair contributed to that victory.
3. Bill Laurie and Bob Simpson (Australia) – 7 times
The Australia pair shared a 50+ 50+ partnership in just 9 innings, which is a great record from any criteria. Laurie’s restraint and Simpson’s technical understanding made the pair extremely effective.
In the 1967–68 series, when Australia visited India, both of them made major partnerships one after the other and brought the Indian bowlers under pressure in the beginning.
2. Gordon Greenies and Desmond Hens (West Indies) – 8 times
The West Indies pair played continuously against India from the 1970s to the early 1990s. He opened up 30 innings against India and shared more than 50 partnerships 8 times.
Greenies’ aggressive style and Hens’s stable batting made the pair quite balanced. Both batted brilliantly not only in the West Indies but also on the slow pitches of India. His partnerships became the basis of reign in the West Indies Test cricket at that time.
1. Ben Docket and Zack Croly (England) – 8 times
The pair of Docket and Croley have shared an opening of more than 50 in just 17 innings. The pair represent the ‘Bazball’ approach of England, including both aggression and fearlessness.
Crowley’s innovative shots of classical batting and docket pressurize India’s fast and spin bowlers in the early overs. Both not only score runs, but also spoil the strategy of India’s bowlers.
