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By adding 192 runs so far for the first wicket in India’s second innings of the ongoing first Test in Perth, Jaiswal and Rahul broke Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth’s record of 191-run opening stand in 1986.
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal break Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth’s record of best opening Test partnership for India in Australia. (Picture Credit: AP, X/@ICC)
Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul create history on Sunday (November 24) by breaking legendary Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth’s 38-year-old record of highest opening partnership for India in a Test match played in Australia. During the India-Australia Test match played at Sydney Cricket Ground in January 1986, Gavaskar and Srikkanth added 191 runs for the first wicket. Jaiswal and Rahul, who added 172 runs for India on Day 2, crossed the 192-run mark during the first session of the third day’s play.
The duo would like to maintain their form and convert good starts into big scores to help India post a big score in the second innings and set up a challenging total for the Baggy Greens to chase down in the fourth innings of the match.
The overall record for the highest opening partnership in a Test match played in Australia between India and Australia is in the name of Geoff Marsh and David Boon, who added 217 runs for Australia in the Sydney Test played in January 1986.
Highest opening partnership for India in Australia (in Tests)
- KL Rahul & Yashasvi Jaiswal – 201 in Perth, 2024
- Sunil Gavaskar & Kris Srikkanth – 191 in Sydney, 1986
- Sunil Gavaskar & Chetan Chauhan – 165 in Melbourne, 1981
- Virender Sehwag & Aakash Chopra – 141 in Melbourne, 2003
- Vinoo Mankad & Chandu Sarwate – 124 in Melbourne, 1948
Jaiswal and Rahul would now like to go past that mark and take the No. 1 position.
The overall record for the highest partnership for India in Australia is 353 runs. Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman stitched 353 runs for the fourth wicket during the India-Australia match played in Sydney from January 2-6 in 2004.
100 for Jaiswal
Jaiswal, who is playing his first Test against Australia, joined an elite list of Indian players who have managed to score a century in their maiden Test Down Under. The 22-year-old was batting on 95 when he hit Josh Hazlewood for a six to bring up his maiden Test century in the first match against Australia.
Motganhalli Jaisimha was the first Indian to score a century in his first Test in Australia. He scored 101 runs in the match played in Brisbane (January 19-24, 1968).
Gavaskar joined the elite list in 1977 by scoring 113 runs in the second innings of the Brisbane Test played from December 2-6.
