India's five best openers till date

#1 Sunil Gavaskar

The epitome of consistency

Facing up to the fiercest and fastest of the West Indies bowlers without a helmet was an achievement in itself and Gavaskar not only survived but thrived in such conditions.

Gavaskar was not a maverick with the bat, instead, he was the epitome of concentration and consistency. He held up one end, oblivious to what was happening around him, and unleashed his powerful array of strokes after settling at the crease. His patience was matched by his consistency as he scored centuries even against the most hostile bowling attacks.

A Test average of 65.45 against the West Indies in that era and an average of 70.20 away from home are astounding numbers that speak volumes of his prowess.

His overall Test average was 51.12 and he was also the first man to score 10,000 runs in Test match cricket.