5 Indian batsmen with most Test runs against England

India's tour of England is just about ready to move into the test match phase after India played a practice game against Essex. Although a practice game in overseas conditions helps predict the kind of surfaces one can expect in the series, it has posed some serious questions for the Indian team management.

For instance, opener Shikhar Dhawan has come back with a pair of ducks in the practice game, similarly, India’s go to Test player- Cheteshwar Pujara, managed a meagre 25 runs in a couple of innings.

Whether India should go ahead with them in the playing 11, or give other batsmen an opportunity to feature in the first test ahead of these experienced players will be a question that might trouble captain and the coach.

However, one thing is for sure, it is the batsmen who will decide the series for India. Here are five Indian batsmen who made a mountain of runs against England in Tests.

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#5 Dilip Vengsarkar (1977-1990)

Dilip Vengsarkar

The Bombay batsman came to the limelight when he scored a quick-fire century against the Rest of India in an Irani Trophy encounter in Nagpur. The most striking part of that innings was the way Vengsarkar, then a teenager, toyed with Bishan Singh Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna, two of the country’s great bowlers and very well in the peak of their respective careers.

The tall right hander’s style was clear- simple but elegant stroke making that relied on timing and nothing else, and on his day he could spoil the bowling figures of the best of the bowlers.

Against England, Vengsarkar played 26 test matches and scored 1589 runs at an average of 42.94, slightly better than his career average of 42.13. His run scoring included five centuries and six half centuries.

#4 Gundappa Viswanath (1971-1982)

Viswanath was as crucial to the Indian Test side as Sunil Gavaskar in the 1970s

Viswanath was a delightful performer, for he could pull out the most difficult of the cricket strokes with the bat in hand and make them all look easy to play. Viswanath, along with Sunil Gavaskar, formed the crux of the Indian test team of the 1970s and while all others perished under difficult situations or pitches, Viswanath seemed to cherish such challenges and rose to the occasion.

One of his most memorable knocks include a 97 against the mighty West Indies in Madras during the 1974-75 series.

Against England, Vishy, as he is known in the cricketing circle, scored 1880 runs in 30 Test matches including four hundreds and 12 half centuries.

#3 Rahul Dravid (1996-2011)

Dravid is one of the great ambassadors of the sport

Rahul Dravid came from the classical school of batsmen, and believed in traditional orthodox cricket rather than trying to be someone who he wasn’t. Despite his own limitations as a batsman, Rahul went on to have great careers in both Test and limited overs cricket. Dravid burst on to the international scene right from his debut series in England where he scored back to back half centuries in his first two tests.

Dravid was an absolute match winner and his innings at the famous Eden Gardens Test against Australia (2000-01) and the one at Adelaide Oval are prime examples of how when Dravid scored, India, more often than not looked in a rather comfortable position.

Against England, the Wall, as he is known for his unbreakable defense, played 21 Tests and scored 1950 runs at an average of 60.93, the best average among the batsmen featuring in this list, and an average significantly higher than his career average of 52.31. Dravid scored seven hundreds and eight fifties against England.

#2 Sunil Gavaskar (1971-1986)

Sunil Gavaskar is one of the greatest opening batsman of all times

Another cricketer from the Bombay school of cricket, Sunil Gavaskar, is one of the greatest opening batsman of all times. Gavaskar’s game was modelled on technique and concentration, both of which he had mastered over the time. Due to his strong technique, Gavaskar's wicket was often the hardest to get as an opponent bowling team. He was the pillar of the Indian test team of the 1970s and 80s.

Perhaps the most important knock in his series came in his debut series against the West Indies. While batting for more than 8 hours, Gavaskar made 220 runs and ended the five match series with over 700 runs under his belt.

Against England, Gavaskar played 38 Tests and scored 2483 runs including four hundreds and 16 fifties.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar (1990-2012)

Sachin is one of the most complete batsman of his time

Sachin Tendulkar has been India’s most prolific run scorer in Tests and ODIs and is one of the most complete batsman of his time. The third Mumbai batsman on this list, Tendulkar started from where Gavaskar had left and became the country’s greatest and the most iconic cricket star. There was no facet of his game where he hadn’t improved as he continued to play international cricket and that is what defines Tendulkar’s career- his passion to perform at the ultimate stage, something which motivated him to represent the country for 24 years.

The 19-year-old Tendulkar’s century against the Aussies at the WACA is considered to be one of the best knocks to be ever played on Australian soil.

Against England, Tendulkar, scored 2535 runs in 32 Matches and averaged 51.73, including seven hundreds and 13 fifties.