Australia has been the most successful team in the game of cricket. Having played the very first ever cricket game in 1877 with England, Australia has dominated this game across all parts of the world. Whether it is tests, ODIs, or T20Is, this team has always been the one to beat. But despite having a great legacy, Australia also had some bad days.
There have been many times when they have also gone down under. Here we will talk about such moments when the opposition gets the better of Australia. This article will see the list of the highest opening stands against Australia in the test cricket. So let’s check.
Highest Opening Partnership in Test against Australia
| Pair | Runs | Team | Venue | Date |
| Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes | 323 | England | Melbourne | 9 Feb 1912 |
| Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan | 289 | India | Mohali | 14 Mar 2013 |
| Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe | 283 | England | Melbourne | 1 Jan 1925 |
| Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq | 252* | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 4 Mar 2022 |
| Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes | 250* | West Indies | Georgetown | 2 Mar 1984 |
| Khalid Ibadulla and Abdul Kadir | 249 | Pakistan | Karachi | 24 Oct 1964 |
| Geoff Boycott and Bob Barber | 234 | England | Sydney | 7 Jan 1966 |
| Chris Broad and Bill Athey | 223 | England | Perth | 28 Nov 1986 |
| Charlie Barnett and Leonard Hutton | 219 | England | Nottingham | 10 Jun 1938 |
3. Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe (283 runs) in 1925
The third-highest opening stand that came against Australia is registered under the name of the former English pair. It happened in January 1925, when England toured Australia for a five-match series. It was the second test at the MCG. Australia won the toss and batted first, scoring 600 runs in their first inning. Bill Ponsford (128) and Vic Richardson (138) scored centuries. In reply, England got off to a brilliant start with their opener.
Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe added 283 runs for the first wicket and scored a century each. Hobbs made 154 runs with 11 fours, and Sutcliffe scored 176 runs with 17 fours. England made 479 in their first inning. With a lead of 121, Australia scored 250 in its second inning and set a target of 372. England managed 290 runs and lost the game by 81 runs. Sutcliffe scored 127 runs in the second inning as well.
2. Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan (289 runs) in 2013
Against Australia, the second-biggest opening partnership is registered by an Indian pair. It was made in March 2013 in Mohali, in the third game of the four-match series. Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. They made 408 runs in their first inning, with some good contributions in the middle. However, the reply was even stronger from the Indians. Shikhar Dhawan was making his debut in this game, and he made a 289-run opening partnership with Murali Vijay.
Dhawan scored an 85-ball hundred and made 187 runs, and Vijay got out after making a well-made 153. India made 499 and had a lead of 91 runs. In the second innings, Australia managed only 223 all out. They set a small target of 133 runs for India to win. Team India made 136/4 in 33.3 overs and won by six wickets.
1. Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes (323 runs) in 1912
England and Australia have the oldest rivalry in the game of cricket. These two teams held a number of records against each other. England holds the record for the highest opening test partnership against the Men in Yellow. It came way back in February 1912 at the MCG. It was the fourth game of the five-match series. England won the toss and bowled first. They bowled out Australia for just 191 in the first inning.
Then they batted brilliantly and posted a huge total of 589. England got off to a dream start with Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes adding 323 runs for the first wicket. Hobbs made 178 runs, and Rhodes scored 179 runs. They had a first-inning lead of 398. Australia managed another poor performance and got all out for 173 runs. Thus, England registered a big win with an inning and 225 runs.