5 Highest Test partnerships by Indians in South Africa

#3 Sachin Tendulkar & Virender Sehwag - 220 at Bloemfontein (2001)

Tendulkar and Sehwag helped India recover from a perilous position

When India began their tour of South Africa in 2001, they did so with the knowledge that their then record away from home made for appalling reading. Between July 1986 and the start of November 2001, they had just won one Test outside Asia from 41 attempts.

A bowling attack comprising Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and the rapid Nantie Hayward made for a fearsome proposition on pitches with spice. At 68/4, there appeared to be no way out for India. Until a 23-year old imposter joined Tendulkar in the middle.

Making his Test debut, Virender Sehwag offered a glimpse of the future. He smartly mixed aggression with restraint. Buoyed by the emergence of another star, Tendulkar batted without any semblance of inhibition. The stalwart took the attack to the South African seamers and hammered a scintillating 184-ball 155.

Unlike what was to follow in the ensuing years, a seemingly unstoppable Tendulkar made even Sehwag appear pedestrian in comparison. The duo put on 220 runs from just 284 balls. When Ntini prised out the key scalp of Tendulkar, India threatened to implode yet again before Sehwag reached three figures and hauled them to a strong total. A second innings collapse from the visitors meant that South Africa completed a comfortable nine-wicket triumph.