From the glorious era of left-hand-right-hand masterclasses to the modern-day blitzkriegs, India's opening pairs have traditionally batted at the business end of limited-overs cricket.
The backbone of a limited-overs innings is set long before the fall of the first wicket. India has had its share of opening pairings that have batted consistently from strength to strength, from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly to the current tandem of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. The latter continues to enjoy the fruits of fabulous opening stands in world cricket as they register nine century partnerships and over 3,000 runs together.
Recently, Rohit and Gill made it to the headlines once again, this time for making a record-breaking chase against West Indies in Guwahati a reality.
Here is a list of the top five opening partnerships for India:
1. Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly (258 runs vs. Kenya, Paarl 2001)
Currently, the best opening stand of India belongs to the legendary left-right combo of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. The duo created an extraordinary batting masterpiece in a tri-series match against Kenya, back in Paarl 25 years ago. Playing a complete knock of 146 off 132 balls with 17 fours, Tendulkar played a crucial role in the making of the 258-run first-wicket stand.
His opening partner, Ganguly, remained equally as composed at the crease, hitting 111 off 124 deliveries. Battering the Kenyan bowlers for 41.4 overs, the duo guided the team to a healthy total of 351-3, eventually winning the match by 186 runs. To date, the innings is considered to be the joint 10th-highest opening stand in ODI cricketing history.
2. Shubman Gill & Rohit Sharma (255 runs vs. West Indies, Guwahati 2026)
Just behind the leaders, the next-in-line opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill smashed the record books during the historic 2026 chase against West Indies in Guwahati. Scoring a sensational 255 runs in 26.2 overs during the successful run-chase of 406, the duo etched their names into the record books.
While Sharma remained unbeaten on his 35th ODI century, Gill scripted a historic innings that would live long in the annals of Indian cricket. The captain made a sensational unbeaten knock of 223, becoming only the second ever to hit a double century in an ODI run chase. The 255-run opening stand is currently the highest for India in an ODI run chase, while also being the sixth-highest partnership of the decade.
3. Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly (252 runs vs. Sri Lanka, Colombo 1998)
Coming back to Tendulkar and Ganguly, the two are the only ones on the list who have notched up multiple opening stands of more than 250 runs. Three years before their 258-run masterpiece in Paarl, the duo faced the Sri Lankan spinners in the final of the tri-series, back in Colombo.
Both the openers remained extremely composed in the face of the Sri Lankan spin attack, with Tendulkar scoring 128 and Ganguly 109. Chalking 252 runs for the opening stand in 44 overs, the duo laid a competitive foundation for the team total, eventually posting 307-6, with India successfully defending the total in a thrilling finish.
Also read: Prasidh Krishna Ruled Out of West Indies ODI Series Finale With Hamstring Injury, Replacement Announced
4. Ajinkya Rahane & Shikhar Dhawan (231 runs vs. Sri Lanka, Cuttack 2014)
Speaking of opening combos, Rahane and Dhawan may not have had many chances as a tandem, but they made the most of it whenever they batted together. Facing the Sri Lankan bowlers in the opening match of the 2014 series, in Cuttack, both the openers entertained the home fans with a brilliant batting display, piling up 231 runs in 35 overs.
Both the openers managed to score twin centuries, guiding the home team to an eye-popping total of 363-5. Sri Lanka could only manage a meager 194 in reply, eventually losing the match by a huge margin of 169 runs.
5. Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul (227 runs vs. West Indies, Vizag 2019)
To round up the top-five partnerships, we have the sensational opening combination of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Playing against West Indies at Vizag, during the course of a home series, Sharma and Rahul put on a brilliant 227 runs for the opening wicket. With Rahul celebrating his first-ever ODI century at home, the duo dismantled the West Indian attack in a masterful display of batting.
Chasing down the target of 387-5, with Sharma smashing an equally sensational 159, the visitors could only manage a distant 351 in reply, eventually losing the match. In doing so, the two managed to level the series with three wins apiece.