On 22 September 2016, Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team will take the field in Kanpur and accomplish a unique feat. It will be India’s 500th Test match.
As we prepare for that historic moment, here’s a look back at the five highest-scoring left handers in the longer format.
1. Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly, India’s second most successful Test captain after MS Dhoni, also called The Bengal Tiger, is the country’s most notable left-handed batsman. Having played 113 matches, Ganguly scored 7,212 runs with a healthy average of 42.18.
At a young age of 24, ‘Dada’ scored a century in his debut against England at Lord’s. Later, he went on to add another 17 tons to his name in the format.
Ganguly’s highest test score of 239 came against India’s arch-rivals Pakistan in Bangalore in 2006.
He decided to retire from the game in 2008 after serving the country for almost 12 years.
2. Gautam Gambhir
The attacking opener from Delhi Gautam Gambhir is second to Sourav Ganguly in the list of most successful left-handed batsmen for India in tests. He made his debut against Australia in Mumbai in the 2004/05 series and later solidified his place in the opening slot, having scored 4,056 runs in 56 matches at an average of 42.58.
Gambhir holds the record of being the only Indian and one of four international cricketers to have scored five hundreds in five consecutive Test matches. He is also the only Indian batsman to have scored more than 300 runs in four consecutive Test series.
Gautam Gambhir’s highest score of 206 came against Australia in New Delhi in 2008.
3. Ajit Wadekar
Former Indian Test skipper Ajit Wadekar also made the cut in the list. The left-handed batsman from Mumbai was the 16th Indian captain and was the first under whom India won away series against both England and West Indies in 1971.
Described as an attacking batsman, Wadekar used to bat at the number three position. In 10 years of his playing career in the white jersey, Ajit played 31 test matches and scored 2,113 runs at an average of 31.07.
His lone test ton (143) came against New Zealand at Wellington in 1968.
4. Yuvraj Singh
The tall, hard-hitting batsman from Punjab holds the fourth spot in the list.
Regarded by many as a stylish modern batsman, Yuvraj played an instrumental role as an all-rounder in the test side before being forced to retire in 2011 as he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his left lung.
‘Yuvi’ as he is often called, played 40 test matches and scored 1,900 runs after making his debut against Pakistan in Multan in 2004. He averaged 33.93 and has 11 half centuries and 3 hundreds to his name.
All of his tons in five day cricket came against Pakistan with his best of 169 coming at Bangalore in 2006.
5. Nari Contractor
Rounding up the list of india’s top-five left handers is former Indian captain and opening batsman Nari Contractor.
Contractor made his test debut against New Zealand in Mumbai in December 1955. His was a a short career spanning just 7 years in international cricket. He played in 31 matches where he scored 1,611 runs at an average of 31.59.
He was well known for his two brave innings. First was at Lord’s in 1959, where he broke both his ribs and still scored 81 runs. The second came later in the year, when his 74 in the second innings at Kanpur was crucial in India winning its first Test against Australia.
His career was cut short in an abrupt manner after he was stuck on the head by West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith. The blow left him unconscious for six days during the test series in 1962.