Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag redefined Test opening with breathtaking aggression, becoming the only Indian to score two triple centuries: 309 against Pakistan in 2004 and 319 against South Africa in 2008. His 8,586 Test runs came at a strike rate of 82.23 — faster than the typical opener's average of around 50 — and included 23 centuries. He also smashed the fastest Indian Test century, off just 78 balls against England in 2008, a record that remains unbeaten. In ODIs, Sehwag amassed 8,273 runs at a strike rate of 104.34, outperforming #9 Sourav Ganguly's ODI strike rate of 73.70 by over 30 points.