Highest Opening Partnership in ODI for India
The opening partnership is a crucial aspect of ODI cricket, setting the tone for the team’s innings.
When it comes to India, the opening partnership has always been a crucial aspect of success in ODI cricket.
Over the years, various pairs have dominated the scene, providing solid starts and laying the foundation for big totals.
The record for the highest opening partnership in odi for india belongs to most iconic Indian opening pair, Tendulkar and Ganguly. They made 258 runs partnership against Kenya in 2001.
Highest Opening Partnership in ODI for India | Top 10
Here is a detailed overview of the Top 10 Highest Opening Partnerships in ODI Cricket for India:
10. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – 193 runs against South Africa (October 5, 2001)
This partnership came during the triangular series in South Africa in 2001. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar put on a solid opening stand, playing sensibly and rotating the strike well.
Sourav Ganguly scored 127 runs off 126 balls, while Sachin Tendulkar contributed 101 runs off 129 balls. India scored 275/5 in their 50 overs.
In reply South Africa chased down the target in 48.2 overs and won the match by 6 wickets and 10 balls remaining.
9. Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag – 196 runs against West Indies (November 12, 2002)
Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag put on a quick and aggressive 196 runs partnership against the West Indies during the Champions Trophy in India in 2002.
Sourav Ganguly scored 72 runs off 83 balls, while Virender Sehwag contributed 114 runs off 82 balls. Due to their partnership, India won the match by 81 runs (D/L Method).
8. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – 197* runs against Zimbabwe (November 13, 1998)
Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar put on a masterclass against Zimbabwe, dominating the bowlers throughout their innings.
They made an unbeaten partnership of 197 runs during the Sahara Desert Challenge Cup in Sharjah in 1998.
Sachin Tendulka scored 124 runs off 192 balls, while Sourav Ganguly contributed 63 runs off 90 balls. India chased the zimbabwe’s target of 198 runs in 30 overs with 10 wickets and 120 remaining.
7. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag – 201* runs against New Zealand (March 11, 2009)
This 201* runs partnership came during the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in New Zealand in 2009. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag put on an attacking display against the New Zealand bowling attack.
Gautam Gambhir scored 63 runs off 67 balls, while Virender Sehwag played an aggressive knock of 125 runs off 74 balls. India won the match by 84 runs (D/L method).
6. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan – 210 runs against Pakistan (September 23, 2018)
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan put on a dominant display against Pakistan and made an outstanding partnership of 210 runs against Pakistan during the Asia Cup in Dubai in 2018.
Rohit Sharma scored 111 runs off 119 balls, while Shikhar Dhawan contributed 114 runs off 100 balls. India won the match by 9 wickets with 63 balls remaining.
5. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill – 212 runs against New Zealand (Indore, January 24, 2023)
This remarkable opening partnership between Rohit and Gill came during the third ODI of the series between India and New Zealand.
Both Rohit and Gill played sensibly and rotated the strike well, building a solid opening stand.
Rohit Sharma scored 101 runs off 85 balls, while Shubman Gill contributed 112 runs off 78 balls. India won the match by 90 runs.
4. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul – 227 runs against West Indies (Visakhapatnam, December 18, 2019)
Both Rohit and Rahul were in destructive form, hitting boundaries with ease against the Windies attack during the third ODI of the series. They made 227 runs together.
Rohit Sharma scored a blistering 159 runs off 138 balls, while KL Rahul scored 102 runs off 104 balls. India won the match by a dominant margin of 107 runs.
3. Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan – 231 runs against Sri Lanka (Cuttack, November 2, 2014)
Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan made a phenomenal 231 runs partnership against Sri Lanka during the first ODI of the series between India and Sri Lanka.
Both Rahane and Dhawan played with great patience and skill, punishing any loose deliveries from the Sri Lankan bowlers.
Rahane scored 111 runs off 108 balls, while Dhawan scored 113 runs off 107 balls. Their partnership helped India win the match by a huge margin of 169 runs.
2. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – 252 runs against Sri Lanka (Colombo R Premadasa Stadium, July 7, 1998)
This 252 runs partnership came during the Wills World Cup in England. It was another display of their incredible batting chemistry, as they helped India get off to a strong start against Sri Lanka.
Ganguly contributed 109 runs off 136 balls, while Tendulkar scored a solid 128 runs off 131 balls. Their partnership laid the foundation for India’s 6-run victory.
1. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – 258 runs against Kenya (Paarl, October 24, 2001)
This record breaking partnership of 258 runs between Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar came during a triangular series in South Africa. It is the highest 1st wicket partnership in ODI for India.
Both Ganguly and Tendulkar were at their peak at the time, and they completely dominated the Kenyan bowling attack.
Ganguly scored a brilliant 111 runs off 124 balls, while Tendulkar smashed 146 runs off 132 balls.
The partnership helped India post a massive total of 351/3. They put on their 200-run stand in just 37 overs, and their individual centuries came off just 87 and 109 balls respectively.
In reply, Kenya just managed to score 165/5 in their 50 overs and India comprehensively won the match by 186 runs.
List of All the Highest Opening Partnerships in ODI for India
| Sr. No. | Partners | Runs | Vs | Ground | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar | 258 | v Kenya | Paarl | 24-Oct-01 |
| 2 | Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar | 252 | v Sri Lanka | Colombo (RPS) | 7-Jul-98 |
| 3 | Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan | 231 | v Sri Lanka | Cuttack | 2-Nov-14 |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul | 227 | v West Indies | Visakhapatnam | 18-Dec-19 |
| 5 | Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill | 212 | v New Zealand | Indore | 24-Jan-23 |
| 6 | Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan | 210 | v Pakistan | Dubai (DSC) | 23-Sep-18 |
| 7 | Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag | 201* | v New Zealand | Hamilton | 11-Mar-09 |
| 8 | Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar | 197* | v Zimbabwe | Sharjah | 13-Nov-98 |
| 9 | Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag | 196 | v West Indies | Rajkot | 12-Nov-02 |
| 10 | Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar | 193 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 5-Oct-01 |
| 11 | Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan | 193 | v Australia | Mohali | 10-Mar-19 |
| 12 | Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill | 192* | v Zimbabwe | Harare | 18-Aug-22 |
| 13 | Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly | 192 | v England | Colombo (RPS) | 22-Sep-02 |
| 14 | KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma | 189 | v Sri Lanka | Leeds | 6-Jul-19 |
| 15 | K Srikkanth, Ravi Shastri | 188 | v England | Cuttack | 27-Dec-84 |
| 16 | Ajikya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan | 183 | v England | Birmingham | 2-Sep-14 |
| 17 | V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar | 182 | v New Zealand | Hyderabad (Deccan) | 15-Nov-03 |
| 18 | KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma | 180 | v Bangladesh | Birmingham | 2-Jul-19 |
| 19 | Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan | 178 | v Australia | Nagpur | 30-Oct-13 |
| 20 | Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja | 176 | v West Indies | Cuttack | 9-Nov-94 |
| 21 | Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir | 176 | v West Indies | Indore | 8-Dec-11 |
| 22 | Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan | 176 | v Australia | Jaipur | 16-Oct-13 |
| 23 | Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly | 175 | v Australia | Kanpur | 7-Apr-98 |
| 24 | Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan | 174 | v Ireland | Hamilton | 10-Mar-15 |
| 25 | Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly | 169 | v New Zealand | Bengaluru | 14-May-97 |
| 26 | Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid | 166 | v England | Indore | 15-Apr-06 |
| 27 | Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja | 163 | v Kenya | Cuttack | 18-Feb-96 |
Data Source: ESPN Cricinfo
