5 Highest Test partnerships by Indians in South Africa

Thus far, India have played 20 Tests on South African soil and won three. Their best performance, series-wise, was the 1-1 draw in 2010/11. Historically, only Australia and England have managed to win Test series in South Africa. The major issue facing all other teams has been the irrepressible presence of the Proteas pace attack on their very own seam-friendly pitches.

In this segment, let us relive and acknowledge the five most prolific partnerships notched by Indian batsmen in South Africa. Notwithstanding the traditional struggles of their highly-rated batting lineup in the region, some of their icons have still managed to put in creditable performances from time to time. Here are five of those.

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#5 Sachin Tendulkar & MS Dhoni - 172 at Centurion (2010)

There were plenty of expectations when MS Dhoni's top-ranked Indian Test team arrived in the Rainbow Nation to lock horns with Graeme Smith's remarkably consistent South African lineup in the 2010/11 series.

However, the tour began on a calamitous note for the visitors as their iconic batting unit was blown away for a mere 136 in the very first innings of the series. The Proteas amassed 620 before declaring and consigning their opponents to an inescapable situation.

When all seemed to be lost for India, Tendulkar and Dhoni salvaged some pride by putting on 172 runs for the seventh wicket. While the maestro remained unbeaten on 111, the wicket-keeper batsman was dismissed for a well-made 106-ball 90. While they could not quite make South Africa bat again, their fightback set the tone for the rest of the series.

#4 Gautam Gambhir & Sachin Tendulkar - 176 at Cape Town (2011)

Gambhir and Tendulkar showed immense skill against a rampaging Dale Steyn

Following a shambolic performance in the series opener at Centurion, India looked like a different unit after the return of pace spearhead Zaheer Khan. A splendid performance from the bowlers allowed Dhoni's men to script a memorable series-levelling victory at Durban. Pride and history were on the line as the action shifted to Cape Town for the deciding clash.

Jacques Kallis' resilient 161 powered South Africa to a strong total of 362. When they lost Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid in quick succession, India found themselves in early strife. But Tendulkar joined hands with a determined Gautam Gambhir to keep the Proteas at bay.

Tendulkar's battle against a fired-up Dale Steyn served as a delight for the game's connoisseurs. On the other hand, Gambhir showed enormous resolve against the steep bounce of Morne Morkel. The duo lifted India from 28/2 to 204 before the southpaw surprisingly fell to Paul Harris.

While Gambhir missed out on what could have been the best century of his career, Tendulkar finished with a glorious 146. Another Kallis-inspired revival prevented India from pushing hard for victory. Both teams had to remain content with a drawn series.

#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.

#2 Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli - 222 at Johannesburg (2013)

Pujara and Kohli batted India into a position of strength at the Wanderers Stadium

In what was billed as a battle between the two top-ranked Test teams, a daunting South African outfit awaited an inexperienced Indian lineup at the Wanderers Stadium in 2013. Virat Kohli scored an impressive first-innings century to come of age in the most prestigious format. A collective performance from the seamers earned a narrow lead for the visitors.

With Morne Morkel tearing his ankle and hobbling off the field, the Proteas found themselves in a quandary. After a stoic Murali Vijay set the foundation, Cheteshwar Pujara combined brilliantly with Kohli to help India break free from the hosts' clutches. Even as the pitch began easing out, they ruthlessly pounced and stitched a 222-run partnership.

While Kohli missed out on a century in each innings by just four runs, Pujara kept marching and went past the 150-run mark. Despite setting a mammoth fourth-innings target of 458, the Indian bowlers were outclassed by Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers. A thrilling finish ensued but both sides eventually settled for a respectable draw.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar & Mohammad Azharuddin - 222 at Cape Town (1997)

Mohammad Azharuddin launched an astonishing counterattack against the Protea pacers

As much as they remained invincible at home, the Indian Test side travelled very poorly in the 1990s. All their supporters could hope for was some respite by their few batting stars. In the 1996/97 series on South African soil, they were led by talisman Tendulkar.

After being trampled by a Durban flier, a wary Indian lineup arrived at Cape Town for the second Test. With conditions not as challenging as the preceding match, the visitors hoped for a better fight back. In response to South Africa's 529/7 declared, India were reduced to 58/5 and stared at bigger humiliation.

All hopes rested on their two best batsmen in Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin. The duo did not disappoint. Even as the elegant Hyderabadi produced an astonishing comeback, the Indian skipper anchored the innings at the other end. Their 222-run stand could not prevent the Proteas from surging to a comprehensive triumph.

This partnership might have been equalled in terms of runs by Pujara and Kohli in 2013. However, the sheer quality of stroke-play from both Azharuddin and Tendulkar turned their association into the most unforgettable one among all such efforts by Indian batsmen in South Africa.

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Which of these are your favourites? Let us know in the comments below!