10 Highest Opening Partnership In IPL History

Indian Premier league is known for its incredible records which sometimes hard to believe for us. Similarly, we have witnessed so many instances that both the openers of a particular batting team scores their highest opening partnership in IPL history like a cup of tea. Just imagine, how incredible it would be if the two openers conquers the opposition team without giving batting chance to any other batter in their team, Sounds good isn’t?

Being a opening batsman that too in a league where you have to face the top class bowlers is definitely a tough task to do, but we had seen multiple opening combo of batters in the past who mastered the art of scoring runs as a opener that too in a aggressive approach.

Let us take a brief glance on the players who were part of the highest opening partnership of IPL.

Top 10 Best Opening Partnership In IPL History

---

1) KL Rahul & De Kock – 210* Runs

The two finest opening batsman of India and South Africa, KL Rahul and Quinton De Kock holds the record of highest opening partnership in ipl history as they both ended up having the opening partnership of 210* runs against KKR in IPL 2022 while playing for Lucknow Supergiants.

The two opener Lucknow Supergiants, Kl Rahul and De Kock made 68 and 140 runs respectively. It was the day, when De Kock showed his absolute masterclass and showed no mercy to the bowlers of Kolkata Knight Riders.

2) Warner & Bairstow – 185 Runs

Who would have thought the two ashes rivals, David from Australia and England’s Jonny Bairstow will form a second highest opening partnership in IPL history by making 185 runs against the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling lineup.

In 2019 IPL season, Both the opener literally treated the RCB bowlers like a club cricketers. Jonny Bairstow’s 114 runs and Warner’s 100 runs knock added the opening partnership of 185 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

It was the time when Sunrisers Hyderabad used to have such a strong batting unit along with top class wicket taking bowlers such as Rashid Khan, Bhuvi, Nabi, Natarajan etc.

3) C. Lynn & Gambhir – 184* Runs

During 2017, Kolkata Knight Riders were one of the strongest ipl teams which included the dangerous opening combination of Australia’s Chris Lynn and Gautam Gambhir.

The right and Left hand combination of Lynn and Gambhir formed the 184* runs partnership against Gujarat Lions which helped the KKR to won the match by 30 balls left. The contribution of Lynn was phenomenal in this partnership as he made 93 runs in just 41 balls including 8 monstrous sixes whereas Gambhir added 76 runs in 48 balls.

Moreover, it is also the highest ipl partnership of KKR and none other opening pair has ever broke this record of Chris Lynn and Gambhir after 7 long years.

4) KL. Rahul & M. Agarwal – 183 Runs

The former captain of Punjab Kings, Kl Rahul and his opening partner Mayank Agarwal had an amazing season in IPL 2020 in terms of smashing tons of runs, as they both loves to bat and express themselves in aggressive way, especially in the powerplay.

On 27th September, 2020 The match between PBKS and RR recorded the 4th highest opening partnership of IPL between KL. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal when they owned the Rajasthan Royals bowlers, especially Jofra Archer and ended up making the partnership of 183 runs.

However, Despite scoring 106 runs and 69 runs by Agarwal and Rahul respectively, Punjab Kings lose the Match against RR due to the miraculous inning of Rahul Tewatia where he smashed 5 sixes in a row.

5) Gaikwad & Conway – 182 Runs

I personally feels, the CSK is the only team in IPL who always had some amazing and iconic opening pairs, earlier it used to be McCullum and Dwayne Smith, then FAF and McCullum, later Watson- FAF, and Now Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway. Their openers always creates something big.

Likewise in the past, The opening pair of CSK currently in includes the batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad and New Zealand’s Devon Conway and they made an incredible of highest partnership by openers in IPL during 2022 season against SRH by making 182 runs with the contribution of both the batters.

In this 182 runs opening partnership, Gaikwad missed out his well deserving century by just 1 run and ended up making 99 runs whereas Conway’s 85 runs helped to make the highest opening partnership of CSK.

My personal favorite opener in this entire list would be Devon Conway as he is the best when it comes to play on a spin track of Chepauk Stadium which is quite tricky for foreign players.

6) Watson & Du Plessis – 181* Runs

Yet another opening pair of Chennai Super Kings, Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis chased down the target of 178 runs which was set by the Punjab Kings with 14 balls left without giving a single wicket to PBKS bowlers.

Furthermore, Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis made 83 & 87 runs respectively, and recorded 6th highest opening partnership in IPL by their added contribution of total 181* runs. The top class bowlers of Punjab Kings Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, and Chris Jordan looked clueless against these two openers on 4th Oct 2020.

7) V. Kohli & D. Padikkal – 181* Runs

Usually the openers of Royal Challengers Bangalore does not really adds up a lot of runs as they doesn’t have a reliable opening pair.

However, During 2021 IPL season, Virat Kohli and a young opener named Devdutt Padikkal got a chance to open for RCB and guess what, they both made highest opening partnership for RCB in IPL history by making 181* runs against RR.

Rajasthan Royals set up target of 177 runs which the opening combo led by Virat Kohli and Padikkal chased in 16.3 overs only.

The best highlight of this partnership was, the young lad Padikkal made his maiden IPL hundred by scoring 101* runs in 52 balls. On the other hand, Kohli played the anchor role and contributed 72* runs in the total partnership of 181* runs.

8) V. Kohli & Du Plessis – 172 Runs

It’s pretty amazing to see that Virat Kohli performance equally good in opening as he does in number 3 batting position. Lately, He stepped up to open for his team along with Faf Du Plessis to add some quick runs in the powerplay as they both holds the ability of maximizing the first 6 overs.

The last year for Virat Kohli was a comeback IPL season where he also added another big opening partnership of 172 runs for RCB with Faf Du Plessis against SRH on 18th May, 2023.

Moreover, in this opening partnership Virat Kohli got out by scoring exactly 100 runs in 63 balls where FAF made 71 runs in 47 balls.

9) Gayle & Dilshan – 167 Runs

The match where Chris Gayle played an inning of a century by smashing 175 runs in Indian Premier League against the Pune Warriors in 2013 along with his opening partner Tillakaratne Dilshan recorded 9th highest opening partnership of IPL history.

The interesting fact about this partnership is, out of 167 runs Dilshan only contributed 33 runs whereas the Universe Boss Chris Gayle’s contribution was 134 runs. The world actually witnessed the Gayle Storm on 23rd April, 2013 during the match between RCB and Pune Warriors.

10) Tendulkar & D. Smith – 163* Runs

Moving ahead to the 10th biggest opening partnership of IPL, which came back in 2012 by the two iconic openers of Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar and Dwayne Smith while playing against the Rajasthan Royals.

Master blaster played a risk free knock of 58* runs in 51 balls as his partner Dwayne Smith was taking the Royals bowlers under his radar and played a fiery inning of 87 runs in just 58 balls which added an classy partnership of 163* runs for Mumbai India.

---

FAQ

Highest Opening Partnership for CSK?

The two classical batsman of CSK, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway both scored total 182 runs in 2022 against SRH and made a record of highest opening partnership for CSK.

Which is the best opening pair of IPL history?

Looking at the stats, The best opening pair of IPL history is definitely KL Rahul and De Kock as they both made 210* runs partnership for LSG in 2022.

Can Virat Kohli open in IPL for RCB?

Virat Kohli has opened in many season in IPL for RCB and even played some fantastic and impactful knocks. He also made a century in 2023 while playing as an opener. So yes, Kohli can also open for RCB.