3 pairs with the most century partnerships in Tests
Patience is the name of the game in Test cricket, especially for the batters, who can pay the price of losing their wicket even with the slightest lapse in concentration. Non-strikers also play a vital role in the adaptability of a batter at the crease as some batters have better chemistry than others in the team. On that note, here are three pairs with most century stands in Tests:
Matthew Hayden – Ricky Ponting (Australia), 16 century stands
Two of Australia’s greatest-ever batters, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting loved batting together at the crease. Part of a dominant team that conquered every land, the pair were contrasting characters as Hayden was a more expressive and aggressive batter, whereas Ponting would wait for the bowlers to make a mistake. The Aussie greats batted together in 76 innings and amassed 4765 runs with as many as 16 century stands between them.
Mahela Jayawardene – Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) ,19 century stands
Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are two names that Sri Lankan fans will cherish for a long time. The batting stalwarts had a habit of pulling out Sri Lanka from deep waters and taking them to safety. Although both batters plied their trade in all forms of the game, they were different breeds in red-ball cricket. With over 10000 runs in Tests, both Jayawardene and Sangakkara churned out runs for fun in Tests and amassed 6554 runs together at the crease to go along with 19-century stands.
Rahul Dravid – Sachin Tendulkar (India), 20 century stands
Two of the most iconic and respectable figures in the cricketing fraternity, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were a treat to watch at the crease together. Sachin’s technical brilliance and eye-pleasing stroke play complimented Dravid’s resilience and stubbornness, structuring a monumental partnership in Test cricket. Two of the greatest batters of all time batted together 143 times in red-ball cricket, scoring 6920 runs and registering 20 century stands along with 29 half-century stands.
