Top 10 Test openers with highest strike rates

Openers play a vital role in the team’s progress in a Test match. As Ian Chappell once asserted, a good and attacking opener sets the tone for things to come. Top cricketing teams in the world have had such openers who can take the game away from their opposition. The playing surface, quality of opposition, the status of the bowler or the match situation is of little consequence to such opening batsmen who love playing their natural game. Here’s a look at these attacking openers with highest strike rates who have scored minimum 1000 Test runs. 10. Shikhar Dhawan: Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo Source: BCCI) The southpaw has played 33 innings as a Test opener and scored 1308 runs striking at 60.86. His highest is 187 and he averages 40.87. Dhawan has made 2 fifties and 4 tons opening the innings. He has also registered 4 ducks in Test cricket. He made his Test debut in 2013. 9. Farokh Engineer: Farokh Engineer. (Photo Source: PA Photos) The wicket-keeper batsman played 48 innings as India’s opener and scored 1577 runs striking at 61.99. His highest was 121 and averaged 32.85. Engineer made 9 fifties and 2 tons at the said batting position. He failed to open his account on 5 occasions. He made his Test debut in 1961. 8. Krishnamachari Srikkanth: Krishnamachari Srikkanth. (Photo by David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images) The flamboyant right-hander played 72 innings as India’s Test opener and scored 2062 runs striking at 62.87. His highest was 123 and he averaged 40.87. ‘Cheeka’ made 12 fifties and 2 hundreds while he failed to open his account on 7 occasions. He made his Test debut in 1981. 7. Bob Barber: England and Warwickshire cricketer Bob Barber. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images) Attacking openers were the rarest of species in 1960’s but the exception to this was England’s left-handed opener Bob Barber. He played 33 innings scoring 1236 runs striking at 65.56. His top score was 185 and he averaged 38.62. Barber has 8 fifties and one century and only one duck to his name. He made his Test debut in 1960. 6. Sanath Jayasuriya: (Photo Source: Associated Press) The Sri Lankan legend played 152 innings as a Test opener and scored 5932 runs striking at 65.84. His highest was a marvelous 340 and he averaged 41.48. The belligerent southpaw made 25 fifties and 13 Test tons as an opener. He has also registered 12 ducks in Test cricket. He made his Test debut for the islanders in 1991. 5. Herbert Taylor: The right-hander made his Test debut for South Africa in 1912 is considered one his country’s finest ever. His 34 innings as a Test opener produced 1228 runs at a strike rate of 66.66. His highest was 109 and he averaged 36.11. He made 7 fifties and 3 tons opening the innings. He failed to open his account only once. Taylor played a lot of cricket on matting wickets of that generation. 4. Tillakaratne Dilshan: Tillakaratne Dilshan. (Photo Source: AFP) The dashing right-hander made his Test debut for Sri Lanka in 1999. His 53 innings as a Test opener produced 2170 runs at a strike rate of 71.35. His highest was 193 and he averaged 42.54. He made 10 fifties and 8 tons opening the innings. He failed to open his account on 5 occasions. Dilshan has retired from Test cricket but continues to feature in the shorter formats for his country. 3. Victor Trumper: Victor Trumper. (© Getty Images) The Australian was known as the most stylish and versatile batsman of the Golden Age of cricket. The right-handed genius made his Test debut in 1899. His 52 innings as a Test opener produced 1650 runs at a strike rate of 71.42. His highest was 159 and he averaged 33.00. He made 9 fifties and 3 tons opening the innings. He failed to open his account on 5 occasions. 2. David Warner: David Warner. (© Getty Images) Australia’s devastating left-handed opener made his Test debut in 2011. His 89 innings as a Test opener has produced 4439 runs at a strike rate of 77.53. His highest is 253 and he averages 52.22. He has made 20 fifties and 16 tons opening the innings. He has registered 5 ducks in Test cricket. 1. Virender Sehwag: Virender Sehwag. (© Getty Images) The great right-hander made his Test debut for India in 2001 however didn’t open the innings. His 170 innings as a Test opener produced 8207 runs at a strike rate of 83.10. His highest was 319 and he averaged 50.04. He made 30 fifties and 22 tons opening the innings. He failed to open his account on 15 occasions. All stats updated till 19th Jan 2016.

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Top 10 Test openers with highest strike rates

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