Andrew Strauss and Graeme Smith retired from Test cricket in 2012 and 2014, respectively. England and South Africa have appreciated some consistency from Alastair Cook and Dean Elgar since Strauss and Smith’s exits, but more than two dozen other opening partners have been tried and tested.
South Africa
From Stiaan van Zyl to Stephen Cook and Heino Kuhn and Theunis de Bruyn, the Proteas have trialled a few makeshift options alongside genuine opening batsmen.
Cook arguably should have been afforded an extended stay, while Kuhn was only allowed one series.
| Player | Period | Tests | Average as Test opener |
| Temba Bavuma | 2015 | 1 | 28.00 |
| Stiaan van Zyl | 2015-2016 | 8 | 17.81 |
| Stephen Cook | 2016-17 | 11 | 33.26 |
| Heino Kuhn | 2017 | 4 | 14.12 |
| Theunis de Bruyn | 2017-2019 | 2 | 5.33 |
| Aiden Markram | 2017-2019 | 20 | 38.48 |
| Quinton de Kock | 2016-2019 | 2 | 25.17 |
| Pieter Malan | 2020 | 1 | 5.00 |
New magazine issue: Why De Kock must bat at four
England
The English haven’t really exercised patience beyond extended stretches for Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings.
Their attempt to force limited-overs specialists Alex Hales and Jason Roy into Test cricket effectively failed.
| Player | Period | Tests | Average as Test opener |
| Nick Compton | 2012-2018 | 10 | 31.12 |
| Joe Root | 2012-2016 | 6 | 41.70 |
| Michael Carberry | 2013-2016 | 5 | 28.10 |
| Sam Robson | 2013-2014 | 7 | 30.54 |
| Jonathan Trott | 2014 | 3 | 12.00 |
| Adam Lyth | 2015 | 7 | 20.38 |
| Moeen Ali | 2015 | 3 | 14.00 |
| Alex Hales | 2015-16 | 11 | 27.38 |
| Ben Duckett | 2016 | 2 | 23.00 |
| Haseeb Hameed | 2016 | 3 | 32.00 |
| Keaton Jennings | 2016-2019 | 17 | 25.16 |
| Mark Stoneman | 2017-18 | 11 | 27.68 |
| Rory Burns | 2018-2020 | 12 | 29.25 |
| Joe Denly | 2019 | 3 | 31.33 |
| Jason Roy | 2019 | 4 | 8.85 |
| Rory Burns | 2018-19 | 15 | 33.75 |
| Dom Sibley | 2019-20 | 3 | 17.50 |
| Zak Crawley | 2020 | 1 | 4 |
Photo: Gallo Images
