Cricket's most frequent team-mates

Which cricketers have been team-mates most often? It used to be Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar, who played 104 matches with each other. They were overtaken by the Waugh twins, who had featured in 108 Tests together by 2002. Since then, however, several pairs have passed Mark and Steve, and the present leaders are Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who've been team-mates in 127 Tests for India.

Dravid and Tendulkar have also played more than 100 matches with each of India's Test mainstays - Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman - during the 1990s and 2000s. The pair with the best record among them is Tendulkar and Kumble, who won 40 and lost 31 out of their 122 Tests together. Their win-loss ratio of 1.29, however, pales in comparison to those of pairs that played in more successful Test sides. Australia, for instance, won 71 of the 104 Tests Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne played together. They lost only 16 and drew the remaining 17 games.

Had Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge won one more Test together, they would have been the only pair to have played 100 Tests with a win-loss ratio of more than 5.00. As it stands, they played together in 99 games, of which West Indies won 56 and lost 11.

Most matches two players have played together - Tests

List	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Draw	W/L		Runs	100	Wkts	5
R Dravid, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2010	127	44	35	48	1.25		21300	65	41	0
MV Boucher, JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1998-2010	125	65	32	28	2.03		14771	36	257	5
A Kumble, SR Tendulkar (India)	1990-2008	122	40	31	51	1.29		12215	34	600	31
R Dravid, SC Ganguly (India)	1996-2008	113	37	35	41	1.05		16354	39	33	0
R Dravid, VVS Laxman (India)	1996-2010	111	39	32	40	1.21		15994	36	3	0
ME Waugh, SR Waugh (Aus)	1991-2002	108	62	24	22	2.58		14326	41	95	2
R Dravid, A Kumble (India)	1996-2008	107	32	30	45	1.06		10749	22	503	28
N Kapil Dev, DB Vengsarkar (India)	1978-1992	104	15	28	61	0.53		10534	22	364	21
GD McGrath, SK Warne (Aus)	1993-2007	104	71	16	17	4.43		2892	0	1001	51
IA Healy, MA Taylor (Aus)	1989-1999	103	52	20	31	2.60		11497	23	1	0
SK Warne, ME Waugh (Aus)	1992-2002	103	59	23	21	2.56		8507	16	517	24
SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2008	103	33	31	39	1.06		15396	44	63	0
VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2010	102	37	30	35	1.23		15350	40	34	0
IA Healy, SR Waugh (Aus)	1988-1999	101	45	27	29	1.66		10862	24	61	2
CG Greenidge, IVA Richards (WI)	1974-1991	99	56	11	32	5.09		13811	38	25	0
MA Atherton, AJ Stewart (Eng)	1990-2001	99	26	40	33	0.65		12700	24	1	0
SK Warne, SR Waugh (Aus)	1992-2002	96	57	22	17	2.59		8630	20	486	21
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan (SL)	1997-2010	96	45	28	23	1.60		8999	24	641	55
MV Boucher, M Ntini (SA)	1998-2009	96	49	26	21	1.88		4357	2	368	18
CEL Ambrose, CA Walsh (WI)	1988-2000	95	42	25	28	1.68		2071	0	762	36

The table with the best success rates for pairs is a blur of Australians from the 1990s and 2000s and West Indians from the 1970s and '80s. No one from another country gets a look in. Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath were on the winning side in 36 out of 45 Tests they played, and lost a measly three. That's a win-loss ratio of 12. Michael Holding and Gordon Greenidge have the best ratio for West Indies - 9.33 (51 Tests, 28 wins, three defeats).

The Indians, however, continue to rule tables with the most matches for three or more players. Only two sets of three players have appeared in 100 Tests together. Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly are No. 1 with 103 but Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman, presently on 100, are likely to overtake them before 2010 ends.

Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis could vie with Tendulkar and Dravid for the most Tests by a pair. They are presently on 125, two behind the Indians. The South African trio of Boucher, Kallis and Makhaya Ntini, however, are the only other active combination in the table below apart from Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman. However, Ntini has been discarded from the Test side, and unless he makes a dramatic comeback, they are unlikely to add significantly to their 88 Tests together.

Most matches three players have played together - Tests

List	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Draw	W/L		Runs	100	Wkts	5
R Dravid, SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2008	103	33	31	39	1.06		23914	67	64	0
R Dravid, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2010	100	35	30	35	1.16		22896	58	35	0
R Dravid, A Kumble, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2008	97	29	28	40	1.03		17718	47	483	24
SK Warne, ME Waugh, SR Waugh (Aus)	1992-2002	92	54	21	17	2.57		14001	34	506	22
R Dravid, SC Ganguly, A Kumble (India)	1996-2008	92	27	27	38	1.00		14955	34	461	24
MV Boucher, JH Kallis, M Ntini (SA)	1998-2009	88	45	24	19	1.87		11066	25	515	18
R Dravid, SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman (India)	1996-2008	87	29	29	29	1.00		17480	34	21	0
SC Ganguly, A Kumble, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2008	86	25	25	36	1.00		14374	38	458	21
IA Healy, MA Taylor, SR Waugh (Aus)	1989-1999	85	42	18	25	2.33		15640	36	48	1
IA Healy, MA Taylor, ME Waugh (Aus)	1991-1999	83	42	18	23	2.33		14822	33	47	1
R Dravid, A Kumble, VVS Laxman (India)	1996-2008	83	25	25	33	1.00		13231	28	397	23
CG Greenidge, DL Haynes, IVA Richards (WI)	1978-1991	82	47	6	29	7.83		16289	42	22	0
SM Gavaskar, N Kapil Dev, DB Vengsarkar (India)	1978-1987	82	12	18	52	0.66		15237	39	288	17
GD McGrath, ME Waugh, SR Waugh (Aus)	1993-2002	81	52	16	13	3.25		11216	34	428	23
AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, RT Ponting (Aus)	2000-2008	81	61	9	11	6.77		19570	70	1	0
SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2008	80	26	27	27	0.96		16279	33	45	0
MV Boucher, JH Kallis, SM Pollock (SA)	1998-2008	80	40	21	19	1.90		12218	24	491	16
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan, KC Sangakkara (SL)	2000-2010	77	38	23	16	1.65		14241	42	530	48
IA Healy, ME Waugh, SR Waugh (Aus)	1991-1999	76	36	21	19	1.71		13741	33	84	2
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1997-2009	76	34	22	20	1.54		9116	19	752	47

West Indian trios from the team's golden age had better success ratios than the Australians of the modern era. Jeff Dujon, Greenidge and Holding won 20 out of 31 Tests they played together and lost only one. You have to scroll through six other West Indian combinations before reaching Lee, McGrath and Ricky Ponting, who won 33 and lost two out of 41 Tests.

In one-day internationals, however, it's not the Indians or the Australians who've played the most games together - it's the Sri Lankans. Sanath Jayasuriya's played 307 ODIs with Muttiah Muralitharan and 304 with Chaminda Vaas. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene could catch them, though: the Sri Lankan captain and his deputy have played together in 263 matches. Boucher and Kallis are relatively close once again, having been team-mates in 253 ODIs.

Most matches two players have played together - ODIs

List	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	NR	Tied	%		Runs	100	Wkts	5
ST Jayasuriya, M Muralitharan (Asia/SL)	1993-2009	307	178	117	9	3	60.23		10962	22	702	10
ST Jayasuriya, WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL)	1994-2008	304	163	128	10	3	55.95		12032	23	586	5
ST Jayasuriya, DPMD Jayawardene (Asia/SL)	1998-2009	272	151	112	7	2	57.35		16539	31	181	2
DPMD Jayawardene, KC Sangakkara (Asia/SL)	2000-2010	263	148	104	10	1	58.69		15196	17	1	0
JH Kallis, SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA)	1996-2008	259	162	83	9	5	65.80		11629	14	562	6
R Dravid, SC Ganguly (Asia/India)	1996-2007	256	120	123	12	1	49.38		17427	29	90	2
MV Boucher, JH Kallis (Afr/SA)	1998-2010	253	158	82	8	5	65.51		13391	18	230	2
M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL)	1994-2008	252	146	95	8	3	60.45		2102	0	708	10
A Kumble, SR Tendulkar (India)	1990-2007	245	118	114	11	2	50.85		10783	31	407	3
R Dravid, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2009	245	116	113	15	1	50.65		17601	36	98	1
AC Gilchrist, RT Ponting (Aus/ICC)	1996-2008	245	177	58	5	5	74.79		18048	37	3	0
MS Atapattu, ST Jayasuriya (SL)	1992-2007	243	132	102	6	3	56.32		15820	27	180	3
MV Boucher, SM Pollock (Afr/SA)	1998-2008	243	147	83	8	5	63.61		6346	1	313	5
PA de Silva, A Ranatunga (SL)	1984-1999	241	98	131	11	1	42.82		14648	15	145	0
SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India)	1992-2007	238	117	106	14	1	52.45		19118	49	169	3
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan (Asia/SL)	1998-2010	230	134	86	8	2	60.81		6612	7	373	9
MV Boucher, HH Gibbs (SA)	1998-2010	227	138	78	7	4	63.63		10987	19	0	0
DPMD Jayawardene, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1998-2008	224	117	98	7	2	54.37		7649	7	286	4
ST Jayasuriya, KC Sangakkara (Asia/SL)	2000-2009	224	123	93	7	1	56.91		14139	30	135	1
M Azharuddin, SR Tendulkar (India)	1989-2000	223	107	102	11	3	51.17		15094	27	82	1

Since there weren't enough one-dayers played when the West Indians were at the height of their powers, the best success rate for ODI pairs is an Australian - and Andrew Symonds, particularly - preserve. Symonds forms one half of six of the top eight pairs with the best win-loss records: his 84.46% with Glenn McGrath being the best. The only non-Australian pair among the top 20 is right at the bottom - Gary Kirsten and Allan Donald played 101 ODIs together, of which South Africa won 74 and lost 24.

Pakistan haven't made an appearance in any of our tables so far, but they sneak in at No. 19 in the one below, which contains three-player combinations with the most ODIs. Abdul Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf played together in 173 matches, out of which Pakistan won 100 and lost 68.

Most matches three players have played together - ODIs

List	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	NR	Tied	%		Runs	100	Wkts	5
ST Jayasuriya, M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL)	1994-2008	243	142	90	8	3	61.06		10672	20	858	10
ST Jayasuriya, DPMD Jayawardene, KC Sangakkara (SL)	2000-2009	217	121	89	6	1	57.58		19752	35	131	1
MV Boucher, JH Kallis, SM Pollock (Afr/SA)	1998-2008	214	132	70	7	5	64.97		13062	14	481	6
ST Jayasuriya, DPMD Jayawardene, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1998-2008	206	112	86	6	2	56.50		14353	25	390	5
ST Jayasuriya, DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan (SL)	1998-2009	205	119	78	6	2	60.30		12995	23	459	8
MS Atapattu, ST Jayasuriya, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1996-2007	204	110	87	4	3	55.75		15021	24	410	5
MS Atapattu, ST Jayasuriya, M Muralitharan (SL)	1996-2007	199	120	72	4	3	62.30		13803	23	473	9
MV Boucher, HH Gibbs, JH Kallis (SA)	1998-2010	196	119	67	6	4	63.68		16615	33	182	1
MV Boucher, HH Gibbs, SM Pollock (SA)	1998-2008	195	120	65	6	4	64.55		11320	17	246	4
PA de Silva, RS Mahanama, A Ranatunga (SL)	1986-1999	193	83	99	10	1	45.62		17029	18	114	0
R Dravid, SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar (India)	1996-2007	190	92	86	11	1	51.67		21289	47	145	3
MS Atapattu, ST Jayasuriya, DPMD Jayawardene (SL)	1998-2007	189	103	79	5	2	56.52		17076	26	131	2
MS Atapattu, DPMD Jayawardene, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1998-2007	183	96	81	4	2	54.18		11974	12	248	4
HH Gibbs, JH Kallis, SM Pollock (SA)	1997-2008	182	113	60	5	4	64.97		14595	31	401	5
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan, KC Sangakkara (Asia/SL)	2000-2010	182	108	66	7	1	62.00		10937	12	297	7
MS Atapattu, M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1996-2007	181	105	69	4	3	60.16		7603	8	523	9
DPMD Jayawardene, M Muralitharan, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	1998-2008	179	102	69	6	2	59.53		6572	5	515	10
DPMD Jayawardene, KC Sangakkara, WPUJC Vaas (SL)	2000-2008	176	94	75	6	1	55.58		11286	12	221	4
Abdul Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/Pak)	1998-2007	173	100	68	4	1	59.46		14539	16	183	3
M Azharuddin, A Kumble, SR Tendulkar (India)	1990-2000	170	84	77	7	2	52.14		12324	23	290	3