Exactly 20 years ago, on this day in 2006, Indian cricket witnessed a spectacular batting display by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid. The duo came agonizingly close to breaking a 50-year-old world record, missing it by just 4 runs.
New Delhi/Lahore: The historic moment took place during the India vs Pakistan Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, which, despite being remembered as one of the most uneventful Tests, came alive on the fourth day.
Sehwag and Dravid’s Onslaught
Following Pakistan’s declaration at a mammoth 679 runs in their first innings, Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid launched a relentless attack on the Pakistani bowlers. They came within striking distance of the world record for the highest opening partnership in Test cricket, set by Pankaj Roy and Vinoo Mankad—413 runs in 1956. By the end of the fourth day, Sehwag and Dravid had put together 403 runs, just 11 runs shy of the record.
Fate Intervenes
On the fifth morning, destiny played its part. Dense fog in Lahore restricted play, and only 14 balls were bowled the entire day. When the Indian score reached 410, Sehwag, after an aggressive 254-run innings featuring 47 fours and 1 six, was dismissed. Dravid remained not out on 103. India ended up just 4 runs short of breaking the record and 3 runs behind equaling it.
A Record Broken Later
Though Sehwag and Dravid fell short, their 410-run partnership became one of the most memorable opening stands in Test history. Ironically, the 413-run record they narrowly missed was eventually broken in 2008 by Neil McKenzie and Graeme Smith, who scored 415 runs against Bangladesh in Chittagong. The Lahore Test concluded as a draw, dominated by the batsmen, with little for the bowlers to show.
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