The opening batsmen are the ones who set up the tone in a test match for the other players in the batting lineup. They are ones who face the wrath of the fast bowlers no matter who is the opposition is.
As we go down the memory lane, an opener had to face fast bowling on uncovered and undoctored pitches. But that is not the case now, the surface is now prepared properly adhering to the ICC norms. However, the role of the opening batsmen still retains its importance, they still bear the responsibility of giving their team a good start in the match especially in overseas conditions so that the middle order can make merry.
Since one cannot compare players of different eras, we will look at 5 best opening batsmen who have graced the "gentleman's game" in the modern era that is, the decade starting from 1990 till today.
# 5 Justin Langer
The current Head coach of the Australian cricket team was one of the finest opening batsmen in test cricket. He made his test debut in 1993 but struggled to cement a place in the team in the initial few years of his career. Soon after, he formed a destructive opening partnership with Matthew Hayden. Together, they demoralized the opposition bowlers with their stroke making and aggressive batting.
Justin Langer racked up 1481 test runs in the calendar year 2004, which was more than any other batsman in the world that year. He was also the leading run scorer for Australia in the 2005 Ashes series as the rest of his country's batting order failed to deliver. He ended up making 23 Centuries in 105 test matches in which he represented Australian cricket team. He amassed 7696 test runs at an impressive average of over 45.
#4 Graeme Smith
One of the great cricketing minds that world cricket has witnessed. Graeme Smith was made the captain of South African cricket team at a young age of 22 and he came out with flying colors. He also had the additional responsibility of being an opener for his side and his partnership with fellow great South African Herschelle Gibbs is regarded as one of the finest in the game.
He played various match saving and breathtaking knocks for his team and was known for scoring in the fourth innings which many other batsmen found it difficult.At one point in time, he had more hundreds than the fifties and ended up with 27 test centuries at an outstanding average of 48.25 scoring over 9000 runs in 117 matches.
#3 Virender Sehwag
When he first entered the scene, he was primarily a middle-order batsman who bowls his off-spinners when required. But on the insistence of the then Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, he started to open the innings. That move is still considered to be a masterstroke in Indian Cricket and it was a turning point in Viru's career.
He is the only right-hander who features in this list of the best opening batsmen in the modern era of Test cricket. Opposition bowlers trembled at the sight of the "Nawab of Najafgarh" coming out to bat. No baller was spared when he was on song as he hit fours and sixes consistently with ferocity hitherto unknown in Test cricket.
He is widely regarded as the best Indian opening batsmen in Test cricket next to the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. Virender Sehwag called off his excellent career in 2013 after scoring a mammoth 8536 runs in 104 test matches at an average of 49.34. He accomplished this with a destructive strike rate of 82.23.
#2 Alastair Cook
He was at a tender age of 22 when he made his test debut in India in the year 2006 and made a mark right away in that series by scoring a century in his debut. He had his breakthrough moment in the Ashes 2010-11 where he scored an incredible 766 runs in just 7 innings. Further, in 2012 he led England to a fantastic series win against India on their own turf.
He broke several long-standing English records in his illustrious career before calling it quits in the recent 2018 home test series against India. He will be finishing his long career as he represented England in 161 test matches, scoring more than 12300 runs at an impressive average of 45. Bowlers around the world will breathe a sigh of relief as Alistair Cook calls the curtain on his time in cricket as a player.
#1 Matthew Hayden
A legendary batsman in the mold of Virender Sehwag who could take the game away from the opposition single-handedly in a blink of an eye. He held the world record for highest test individual score of 380 in before it was eclipsed by the great Brian Lara. He did not show any sort of mercy to either pace bowlers or spinners as he won test matches for Australia year after year.
Matthew Hayden is one of the few players in history who have recorded more hundreds than the fifties, a feat not accomplished by many. This speaks volumes about his conversion rate. He was one of the lynchpins of the great Australian team which won everything left right and center. Along with stellar openers like Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer, he made the Australian middle order's job easy by giving strong starts. The lanky Australian played 103 test matches and scored over 8600 runs at a swashbuckling average of over 50.
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