Best Opener in IPL: The job of an opener is always the toughest because they need to negotiate the early challenges and ensure a good start for their team. The Indian Premier League is probably the best franchise tournament in the world that brings the best players across the globe together in one place. It makes it harder to perform consistently.
However, over the years, there have been some special players who have done well in the IPL as openers. Here, we will talk about the best IPL openers in history and also talk about the opening pairs in the coming IPL 2024, which is all set to start on March 22, 2024.
Best Opening Pair in IPL history (All Time)
There is only one pair that has scored more than 2000 runs together in IPL history. That is the pair of Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner when both veterans played for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both batters scored 2220 runs in 48 matches, including six 100-run partnerships. Let’s check out the top five best opening pairs in the IPL.
- Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner (SRH) – 2220 runs in 48 matches (6 100+ Stands)
- Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa (KKR) – 1478 runs in 39 matches (3 100+ Stands)
- Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw (DC) – 1461 runs in 44 matches (2 100+ Stands)
- Jonny Bairstwo and David Warner (SRH) – 1401 runs in 24 matches (5 100+ Stands)
- Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul (PBKA) – 1363 runs in 24 matches (4 100+ Stands)
Top 10 Best Opening Pair in IPL 2024 for All Time
The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League will kick off on March 22. This will be another epic season of the biggest cricket tournament. The IPL 2024 will bring more challenges, and only the best can conquer them. Adding to that, it is the best platform for all big players to prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Here we will check out the top opening pairs in the IPL 2024.
10. Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz or Jason Roy (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Unlike other teams, KKR currently don’t have a settled opening pair. It doesn’t mean that they have bad openers, but they made chops and changed in 2023 and didn’t play with a settled duo. Venkatesh Iyer is the Indian option at the top, and then there are Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine will be the first-choice overseas players, which means only one of Gurbaz or Roy will play. That will be even better, as they will have a settled pair.
9. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Sunrisers Hyderabad made a number of changes from top to bottom in the last season. They tried Mayank Agarwal, Harry Brook, and Abhishek Sharma to open the innings, which didn’t work at all. However, the franchise might look to do well this time around. They have signed Travis Head, who has been exceptional for India, and along with Abhishek, they can make a brilliant pair. SRH have a strong set of overseas stars, and they can do well this time around.
8. KL Rahul or Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock (Luckow Super Giants)

With not many chances as an opener in the Indian T20I side, KL Rahul said in a statement that he is ready to bat in the middle order. It will leave his IPL franchise to choose a new opening partner for Quinton de Kock. LSG bought Devdutt Padikkal, so he might open, and Kyle Mayers is another option. But having two overseas players at the top is difficult because you can only play four. De Kock is a seasonal campaigner, but Paddikkal hasn’t played to his full potential, so it can be tricky but exciting at the same time.
7. Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha (Gujarat Titans)

The one main reason for GT’s success was that their different players were standing in crunch situations. But now, with no Hardik Pandya, a lot of responsibility will be on Shubman Gill. He and Wriddhiman Saha are the openers of the team, and the Indian combo at the top is always good. There is no doubt about Gill’s ability, but Saha didn’t have great numbers in 2023, where he scored 23 and had a strike rate of 129, which might not be enough now. Hence, it may put pressure on Gill as well.
6. David Warner and Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals)

David Warner and Prithvi Shaw will be back, opening the inning for the Delhi Capitals. Warner did score 516 runs in 2023, but his slow approach was the talking point, and Shaw had a horrible season where he managed 106 runs in 8 games. These two are normally very aggressive, but it looks like bowlers have worked them out. Hence, DC will hope for a good season from these two so that the team can do well in the IPL 2024. Individually, they have great numbers as an IPL opener, but combined, they are yet to flourish.
5. Shikhar Dhawan & Prabhsimaran Singh (Punjab Kings)
In the IPL 2024 veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan will lead the Punjab Kings in the tournament. This year Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh will be the Punjab Kings opener in the 17th IPL season. Shikhar Dhawan is one of the most destructive batters and the second-most run-scorer in the IPL. On the other end, Prabhsimaran Singh has been part of the Punjab franchise since 2019 and has been consistently the best performer in Punjab domestic cricket. The PBKS new opening duo Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimaran Singh will be followed by the followed by strongest middle-order batters including Shahrukh Khan, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
4. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra (Chennai Super Kings)
The pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway has been one of the most successful opening pairs. But Conway’s injury has certainly left CSK to look for other options. One name that can be an ideal replacement at the top is Rachin Ravindra. He is New Zealand’s opener and has done well in the last 6–8 months across formats. Gaikwad has been a consistent batter, and Rachin’s form can make another blistering opening duo for CSK, and they can take the team to another title.
3. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians)

The pair of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan have been pretty successful for the five-time champion Mumbai Indians. They have batted in 30 games together and scored 1066 runs. This pair will be exciting to watch in the coming season because both players know each other pretty well. The biggest quality is that they complement each other and both go after the bowling from the very first ball. However, it will be interesting to see how this pair performs under Hardik Pandya.
2. Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals)

The growth of Yashasvi Jaiswal in international cricket in the last year or so has forced us to put this pair among the best in the IPL 2024. Jaiswal has been unstoppable since he made his India debut. He had an incredible season in the IPL in 2023. He took his form into international cricket. He will enter IPL 2024 in red-hot form. Then, you have Buttler, who is probably among the best T20 batters in this era. This pair will certainly be a big headache for the bowlers in the coming season, which is why we are rating them very highly.
1. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Currently, RCB will enter the IPL 2024 with the best and most experienced opening pair. Bangalore have always been a batting-heavy team, and their opening pairs have always seen some big names from Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, and KL Rahul. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have scored more than 11,000 IPL runs between them, and as a pair, they have a pretty good record. In 22 games, they have scored 1183 runs with four 100-run stands. Hence, Virat and Du Plessis were the best openers in 2023, and that is expected to be the same in the IPL 2024.