Most Test tons as an opener for India

Murali Vijay announced his retirement from international cricket on January 30 after playing his last international match in December 2018. India’s all-format player struggled in white-ball cricket but left his mark in Tests with almost 4000 runs from 61 matches. He scored 12 hundreds in Tests and all those tons came while playing as an opener.

It is a big task to stick with India’s red-ball team for a longer period and only two cricketers have scored more centuries. The current Indian Test openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are not even close to Murali’s 12 tons as an opener. So, let’s take a look at the top three Indian cricketers with the most tons as an opener in Tests.

3. 12 tons – Murali Vijay

The 38-year-old Chennai-born cricketer showed a lot of potential during his rise to international cricket. He managed to play 61 Tests but was restricted to only 17 ODIs and nine T20Is. Despite some competition for the spots in Tests, he scored 3982 runs at a decent average of 38.28 with the help of 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries. 

2. 22 tons – Virender Sehwag

Considered as one of the most destructive batters across formats, Sehwag scored 8586 runs from 104 Tests at an average of 49.34 and an amazing strike rate of 82.23. He scored 23 centuries and 22 of those came while playing as an opener. Known for his big knocks, Sehwag also smashed two triple hundreds in Tests while playing as an opener.

1. 33 tons – Sunil Gavaskar

Many consider Sunil Gavaskar as one of the greatest cricketers of all time for his contribution to India’s rise to international cricket during 1970s. Gavaskar was the first cricketer in the world to reach the historic 10000-run mark in Test cricket with the help of 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries. He amazingly scored 33 of his Test hundreds while playing as an opener and it seems that this record will stay intact for years to come.