Partnerships are the key in any format and are very useful in building a great innings. As India openers fumbled against Bangladesh, we take to the highest partnerships for India in test cricket.

From 1956 to 2015, here is the list of highest opening partnerships for India in the longest format of the game:

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• Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy 413 Vs New Zealand in 1956 at Chennai: This is the highest opening partnership for India in test. This stand of 413 ensured India to score big runs. Vinod Mankad scored 231 runs and Pankaj Roy went on to make 173. This allowed India to declare at a score 537 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets. In end India won the match by an innings and 109 runs.

• Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid 410 Vs Pakistan at Lahore in 2006: The 2nd highest opening stand for India came in the first test match of the series. Pakistan scored big after winning the toss. Younis Khan’s 199, Mohd Yousuf’s 173, Shahid Afridi’s 103 and Kamran Akmal’s 102 not out allowed Pakistan to score 659 declared. India gave a perfect reply to this huge score, Rahul Dravid nd Virender Sehwag’s big opening partnership of 410 runs ensured India that they could save this high scoring test match.

• Murli Vijay and Sikhar Dhawan 283 Vs Bangladesh in 2015 at Fatullah: This was a one off test in Bangladesh played at Fatullah. India got to a perfect start of 283 runs. Murli Vijay scored 150 and Sikhar Dhawan scored 173 in that partnership. Ajinkya Rahane also contributed with 98 runs. India declared their innings at 462 for the loss of 6 wickets. The match ended in draw.

• Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag 233 Vs Sri Lanka at Kanpur in 2009: India could score 642 runs because of the magnificent opening start provided by Sehwag and Gambhir. Their 233-run stand ensured that India would put pressure on the Lankans by scoring 642 runs, Virender Sehwag scored 131 and Gautam Gambhir scored 167 in that opening stand of 233. Later Rahul Dravid’s 144 and half centuries from VVS Laxam and Yuvraj Singh allowed India to pile on such a score. Sri Lankan batsmen didn’t deliver as their batting unit failed to reach India’s score in two attempts. In the end it was an easy win for India by an innings and 144 runs.

• Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir 218 Vs South Africa at Kanpur in 2004: This was golden period of India cricket where openers used to give a perfect start and middle order batsmen used to capitalise on it. Gambhir and Sehwag were again in action. These two openers added 218 runs. Sehwag was the top scorer with 164 runs and Gambhir provided him a good support by scoring 96 runs. This allowed India to draw the test match as India couldn’t get close to the Proteas score of 510.

• Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan 213 Vs England in 1979 at The Oval: India and England were performing neck to neck in this test match. In 2nd Innings, while chasing the target of 438 runs, Indian openers Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan rose to the occasion by building a strong opening partnership of 213 runs. When the openers were going strong India threatened to chase the target down. Chauhan provided an able support to Gavaskar and Sunny played an innings of his life. Gavaskar scored 221runs and Chauhan scored 80. The match ended in a draw.