Former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra has come up with stats to decider the opening pair in Test cricket in the current scenario. He also took the opportunity to remember the legendary opening pairs of Matthew Hayden-Justin Lunger and Gautam Gambhir-Virender Sehwag, who were exceptional at making the new ball old.

In a recent video on his Youtube channel, Chopra said, “There was a time when we had very good opening partnerships in World cricket like Gautam Gambhir-Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden-Justin Langer, Gordon Greenidge-Desmond Haynes, Alastair Cook-Andrew Strauss, and Graeme Smith-Herschelle Gibbs. But today’s openers are not able to deal with the swinging ball.”

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Aakash Chopra, an opener himself in his playing days looked fairly disappointed with the “ridiculous” partnership average of South Africa’s opening partners Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram. The 42-year-old also highlighted their low individual averages. He also elaborated that the Australian openers Joe Burns and David Warner have done a “decent” job but the latter has looked vulnerable in testing conditions.

Chopra explained, “They have a partnership average of 65.4 with Warner averaging 55.1 and Burns 41.8. But are they the best at the moment? Warner coming to India – no way. In challenging conditions, you find Warner slightly wanting and Joe Burns is still too young.”

Aakash Chopra termed New Zealand’s Tom Latham and Tom Blundell has the best in the current scenario. He highlighted that they score runs in difficult New Zealand conditions and have been successful in overseas matches as well.

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Talking about them, former Indian opener said, “They are good because they average 47.14. And they have scored a lot of runs at home, with the New Zealand conditions being tough. Blundell also had a very good tour of Australia. Tom Latham has scored runs in India as well while Blundell didn’t come here.”

Finally, Aakash Chopra was seen talking about the newly formed Indian Test opening pair, Rohit Sharma, and Mayank Aarwala saying that “fairly good” as they have done well in limited opportunities but the only factor which goes against them is that they haven’t opened together outside India.

Chopra explained, “It is a new partnership and it is growing. They have done a good job in limited opportunities. They have an average of almost 70 together with Rohit averaging 73.6 and Mayank 57.3. But what goes against them is that they have not played together outside India. Mayank was fairly decent but we have not seen Rohit as an opener overseas. I am going with Tom Latham and Tom Blundell as the best opening pair in Test match scenario at this moment.”