On this day in 2006, during the first Test between India and Pakistan at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, openers Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid put up a monumental 410-run partnership, while narrowly missing the world record for the highest opening stand in Test cricket by just three runs.
The existing record for the highest opening partnership was set by India’s Pankaj Roy and Vinoo Mankad, who amassed 413 runs against New Zealand in 1956. Sehwag and Dravid’s partnership seemed poised to surpass this milestone as they dominated the Pakistani bowling attack on a flat deck.
Sehwag’s explosive innings
Sehwag was at his flamboyant best, scoring 254 runs off 247 balls, including 47 boundaries and a six. His innings was marked by a rapid acceleration, reaching his double century off just 182 balls, making it one of the fastest in Test history.
At the other end, Dravid provided the perfect foil to Sehwag’s aggression. The Indian captain scored an unbeaten 128 runs off 233 balls, displaying his trademark patience and technical ability. His solid defense ensured the partnership remained unbroken throughout the fourth day.
Weather plays spoilsport
As the duo inched closer to the record, inclement weather intervened. Fog and bad light curtailed play on the final day, allowing only 14 balls to be bowled. In that brief period, Sehwag was dismissed, caught behind off the bowling of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, leaving the partnership tantalisingly short of the world record.
The Test match itself was a high-scoring affair, with Pakistan declaring their first innings at 679 for 7, thanks to contributions from Younis Khan (199), Mohammad Yousuf (173) and down the order Shahid Afridi (103) and Kamran Akmal (102*) slammed centuries too. India responded strongly, reaching 410 for 1 before the match ended in a draw due to time lost to rain interruptions.
Interestingly, Pankaj Roy and Vinoo Mankad’s record opening stand of 413 runs was broken by South Africa openers Neil McKenzie and Graeme Smith two years later in Chittagong, by scoring 415 runs. Sehwag and Dravid’s 410-run stand is third in the list.
