Top 5: Best batting partnerships for India in the ODI Asia Cup

Since its inception in the year 1984, Asia Cup has seen some glorious performances the Asia Cup has displayed numerous outraging performances by the players, with the bat and with the ball. The partnerships among batters are just as important in determining the eventual outcome of a match.

The seven-time champion has also some mind-bobbling partnerships in the Asia Cup. The batters that come out of here are some of the most elegant and best stroke players one has seen. Let us take a look at the top 5 best batting partnerships of Team India in ODI format.

5. Mohammed Azharuddin and Navjot Singh Siddhu (175* runs), 1995

Mohammad Azharuddin and Navjot Singh Siddhu (Source- Twitter)

Mohammed Azharuddin and Navjot Singh Siddhu stitched an unbeaten 175-run partnership for the 3rd wicket against Sri Lanka in 1995 in Sharjah. Azharuddin joined hands with Sidhu to oversee the run-chase in a ruthless manner. While the skipper scored runs fearlessly, his batting partner rotated the strike with ease.

Azharuddin and Sidhu remained unbeaten on 90 and 84, respectively. This partnership helped India win the 4th Asia Cup title. So far, 14 editions of Asia Cup have been played and India has managed to win the tournament seven times.

4. Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina (198 runs), 2008

Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina (Source- Twitter)

It was the fifth match of that Asia Cup edition in 2008 when India took on their arch-rivals Pakistan in Karachi. Pakistan batted first and put up a defendable total of 299 runs on the board. There was a century from Shoaib Malik (125), supported by 59 from Younis Khan.

But, in reply, Virender Sehwag's 119 runs off 95 balls and Suresh Raina's 84 runs off 69 balls, put up a 198-run partnership for the second wicket as India chased down the target in 42.1 overs with six wickets in hand. Yuvraj Singh also contributed alongside MS Dhoni.

3. Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir (205 runs), 2012

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir (Source- Twitter)

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli took the Lankan Lions by storm when they stitched 205 runs, making it the highest partnership for the second wicket in 2012. Kohli cracked seven boundaries in his 120-ball 108, meanwhile, Gambhir concluded his innings with a score of 100 off 118 balls in India's 50-run win against the Lankan.

The 205-run stand between Kohli and Gambhir was their third double-century partnership in ODIs. They were tied with Tendulkar and Ganguly on the list of batting pairs with the most double-century stands in ODIs in that span of time.

2. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (210 runs), 2018

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (Source- Twitter)

This opening partnership has been one of the most successful all-time pairings for Team India. In the 2018 Asia Cup, Rohit and Dhawan put on multiple big partnerships. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, playing in a thrilling Super Four match against arch-rivals Pakistan scored 210 runs partnership.

These two scored 540 runs combined in 9 innings in the Asia Cup. Their highest partnership in the 2018 edition was 210 vs Pakistan. Both of them scored centuries, Rohit scored 111 and Shikhar contributed 114 runs in that game.

1. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane (213 runs), 2014

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane (Source- Twitter)

In the second match of the Asia Cup 2014 at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah chasing 280 against Bangladesh in the 2014 event, India was reduced to 51/2. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on 213 runs for the third wicket which was the third-highest partnership in Asia Cup history.

The partnership between Kohli and Rahane took India to a comfortable 6-wicket victory. The former skipper starred with 136 runs while Rahane scored 73 runs. It is also the highest partnership ever produced by the Indians in the all-important continental tournament.