Cricket's Biggest Pairs: 7 Iconic Duos Who Played The Most

Cricket’s Biggest Pairs: Cricket is a game of partnerships. Whether it is forming partnerships, decisive second-order partnerships, or partnerships between cricketers that go down in history, teamwork has often determined the course of matches and even entire generations.

Through the years, international cricket has seen several pairs whose joint longevity, consistency, and together skills have made them personify trust and excellence. With Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli still playing, the debate on the biggest bromances in Cricket has been strengthening by the day.

Seven Cricket’s Biggest Pairs at the international levels

1. Mahela Jayawardene & Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

Matches Played Together: 550

To begin the list of the largest bromances in Cricket are the legendary players of Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. The duo played a record 550 international matches. The matches include Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20 international matches.

This duo was the spine of the Sri Lankan cricket team for over a decade. Jayawardene’s elegance complemented Sangakkara’s aggression. It is not just their batting that has contributed to the success of the Sri Lankan cricket team, but it is also their leadership that has ensured that the team is one of the best in the world for several years.

2. Mahela Jayawardene & Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

Number of Mutual Games: 426

Jayawardene makes his fifth appearance in the list, but this time with Tillakaratne Dilshan, an opening batsman with explosive capabilities. Together, they have played a staggering 426 international matches.

Dilshan’s attacking stroke-play skills, along with his famous “Dilscoop,” were complemented by the steady presence of Jayawardene on the field. Their knack for rotating the strike and cashing in on the loose stuff made them one of the most threatening pairs in the Sri Lankan lineup.

3. Kumar Sangakkara & Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

Matches Played Together: 418

Another popular Sri Lankan duo, Sangakkara and Dilshan, operated on the same turf a total of 418 times. These two players were highly effective at adapting to situations.

Sangakkara’s keen cricket brain complemented Dilshan’s daredevil attitude to perfection, and this combination led to several winning performances for them. The fact that they were adaptable to all forms helped keep them in the national team for a long time.

4. Sanath Jayasuriya & Muttiah Muralith (Sri Lanka)

Matches Played Together: 408

None are as legendary as Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan. 408 matches played side by side, they marked Sri Lanka’s golden age.

Jayasuriya changed the art of opening batting with his aggressive batting style, and Murali’s spin magic dominated world cricket. His contrasting skills added and complemented Sri Lankan cricket perfectly in their world cup victory in 1996.

5. Jacques Kallis & Mark Boucher (South Africa)

Matches Played Together: 407

South Africa’s trusty pair Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher appeared in 407 international matches together, emblematic of their strength in depth.

Kallis is one of the all-time best all-rounders in the history of cricket, and he and Boucher’s association also represented a period during which South Africa became a mighty team across all formats. They were a team to beat.

6. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli (India)

Number Of Matches Played Together: 393

Among the most popular pairs when it comes to the largest bromances in Cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are still adding to their legendary achievements. Together, they have experienced 393 international matches and are still adding to that number.

This easily complements Kohli’s aggressive nature. Kohli has played some match-winning knocks alongside Dhawan. Kohli is also one of the most experienced middle-order batsmen in the Indian side. This makes his ability to rotate the strike very essential.

7. Sachin Tendulkar & Rahul Dravid (India)

“Matches Played Together”: 391

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are known as one of cricket’s greatest bromances and rightfully so! Together, these two incredible Indian cricketers played in 391 international cricket matches together as opening partners.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the two of them have an unbreakable bond. The partnership they formed with one another was remarkable for many reasons.

But none more than the fact that it was interrupted by the Australian Team’s Captain and Vice-Captain (who were in the opposing team’s dressing room) asking the Umpires to return the clock to its original position because it was too late in the day to continue playing cricket. However, this did not affect the prospects of one particular batsman, Virender Sehwag, who was soon found sitting in the dressing room

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