Highest Test partnership for Australia against India
Building partnership is vital and crucial in any format of cricket. A strong stand lays the platform for a big innings total while batting first or second for any side, irrespective of the format. In the longest format, the Test format, partnerships become even more important as it tests the patience and skills of the pair battling out in the middle. Australia have shared a great rivalry with India in all formats over the years and some of their pairs have registered memorable stands in the Whites which feature in this article.
Let’s take a look at the highest partnership for any wicket for Australia against India in Test cricket (Top 3):
3. Michael Clarke & Ricky Ponting (288)
The duo of Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting have shared the third-highest partnership against India in Test cricket. The pair scored 288 runs together for the fourth wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney in the 2011/12 series. In the second match of the series, India batted first and got bundled out cheaply for just 191. The home side struggled at 37/3 and that’s when Clarke and Ponting joined hands. The latter racked up 134 while Clarke smashed a staggering 329* off 468 with 39 fours and a six. The Aussies won the contest by an innings and 68 runs.
2. Michael Clarke & Michael Hussey (334*)
In the same innings of the above-mentioned Test match, Clarke piled up more misery over the Indians, this time with Michael Hussey. After the dismissal of Ponting with Australia’s score at 325/4, Hussey joined Clarke in the middle and the pair slammed an unbeaten 334 runs for the fifth wicket. The classy left-hander Hussey also remained not out on 150 off 253 which included 16 fours and a maximum. The duo helped their side in reaching a mammoth total of 659/4. Skipper Clarke then declared the innings with India getting bowled out for 400 to lose the Sydney Test.
1. Michael Clarke & Ricky Ponting (386)
Clarke is a constant name yet again here as he holds the record for the highest partnership with Ponting against India in the Whites. In the fourth and final game of the above-mentioned series, the duo added a massive 388-run stand for the fourth wicket at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide. The home side batted first and their score read as 84/3 at one stage. Clarke then joined Ponting and took Australia’s score to 470 with the former getting dismissed for 210. Ponting slammed 221 as the Aussies reached 604/7d eventually winning the game by a huge margin of 298 runs.
