Top-order tons, but no perfect pair

For as long as Test cricket has been played, a solid opening partnership has been viewed as the bedrock upon which all good teams are built.

It's no coincidence that some of the greatest opening duos of all time, the likes of Hobbs and Sutcliffe, Greenidge and Haynes and more recently Hayden and Langer, have opened the innings in sides that enjoyed extended periods of success.

It's a luxury that has not been afforded to India's Test team in the past nine months.

Due mainly to injury, the Indians have been forced to field a different opening pair in each of their past six Tests.

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Murali Vijay after his century against Australia at the Gabba // Getty

But despite the inconsistency in selection, India's openers have scored seven individual centuries from their past eight matches and it would have been eight from eight had Murali Vijay not fallen one run short of a hundred against Australia in Adelaide back in December.

Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan have opened the innings in four of India's past eight Tests, with Vijay scoring two centuries – the first in Brisbane last December – and Dhawan one.

The left-handed Dhawan was dropped for the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney, a selection that was justified when his replacement KL Rahul scored a brilliant debut century, only for Dhawan to return to the side next up against Bangladesh in June, when both he and Vijay scored big hundreds.

Dhawan then made it two tons from two matches in the first Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month, a match Vijay missed due to a hamstring injury.

But a hand injury prematurely ended the left-hander's series, allowing Vijay to return in his place for the second Test alongside Rahul, who was named man of the match with a patient 108 in India's first innings.

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Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his big hundred against Bangladesh // Getty

Vijay's hamstring woes returned and ruled him out of this week's third Test in Colombo, and his replacement Cheteshwar Pujara scored a brilliant 145 not out and became just the fourth Indian after Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag to carry his bat.

But while the individual performances of India's openers have been superb, injuries have denied them the chance to create the chemistry needed to consistently post strong opening partnerships.

Since the start of the series against Australia, India have only posted one opening stand of 100 runs or more; Vijay and Dhawan's record breaking 283-run stand against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Apart from that performance, India's opening duos have averaged 20.21 from 14 innings.

So what happens if Dhawan, Vijay, Rahul and Pujara are all fit for the start of India's crucial four-Test series against South Africa in October?

Only time will tell.

HOW'S THIS FOR OPENERS?

v Australia in Adelaide
Murali Vijay: 53 & 99
Shikhar Dhawan: 25 & 9
Partnerships: 30 & 16

v Australia in Brisbane
Murali Vijay: 144 & 27
Shikhar Dhawan: 24 & 81
Partnerships: 56 & 41

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Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates his hundred in Colombo // Getty

v Australia in Melbourne
Murali Vijay: 68 & 11
Shikhar Dhawan: 28 & 0
Partnerships: 55 & 2

v Australia in Sydney
Murali Vijay: 0 & 80
KL Rahul: 110 & 16
Partnerships: 0 & 48

v Bangladesh in Fattulah
Murali Vijay: 150
Shikhar Dhawan: 173
Partnerships: 283

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KL Rahul scored a hundred against Australia at the SCG // Getty

v Sri Lanka in Galle
Shikhar Dhawan: 134 & 28
KL Rahul: 7 & 5
Partnerships: 14 & 12

v Sri Lanka in Colombo
Murali Vijay: 0 & 82
KL Rahul: 108 & 2
Partnerships: 4 & 3

v Sri Lanka in Colombo
KL Rahul: 2 & 2
Cheteshwar Pujara: 145* & 0
Partnerships: 2 & 0