Virat Kohli Rules T20I Runs List For India Against Asian Rivals, But SKY Is Rising Fast

Most T20I runs for India vs Asian Teams [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

When it comes to India’s dominance in T20I cricket, especially against Asian rivals, some of the finest batters have stood out. From Virat Kohli’s unmatched consistency to Rohit Sharma’s explosive hitting, Indian batters have left a strong mark whenever they’ve faced regional rivals.

These contests against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE, Oman and Afghanistan often bring the best out of India’s batting stars. India’s newest T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, is rising fast in the all-time scoring list.

On that note, here’s a closer look at the most runs scored by an Indian against Asian teams in the T20I format.

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5. KL Rahul - 652 Runs

5. KL Rahul - 652 Runs [Source: @csk_msd7/X.com]

India’s one of the most technically sound batters, KL Rahul, features in this list at number 5 with 652 runs at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 133. 

His highest individual score against an Asian team was 89 runs, which he scored versus Sri Lanka in 2017. Not only that, in the Asia Cup, Rahul has 132 runs in 5 innings. While he is no longer a part of India’s T20I setup, KL’s dominance in Asia makes him stand apart.

4. Suryakumar Yadav - 692 Runs

4. Suryakumar Yadav - 692 Runs [Source: @surya_14kumar/X.com]

India’s "Mr. 360", Suryakumar Yadav, has already made a mark with 692 runs at an average of 36 and a stunning strike rate of 174, the highest on the list. The new T20I captain has dominated the format with his fearless stroke play and innovative shots, making him one of the toughest batters to bowl at. 

Yadav has also hit a century against Sri Lanka in 2023, and in the Asia Cup, he has slammed 146 runs in 6 innings with a fifty. With his present form, Suryakumar Yadav stands a chance to move up in the list sooner than expected.

3. Shikhar Dhawan - 704 Runs

3. Shikhar Dhawan - 704 Runs [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

Former opener Shikhar Dhawan, though not in India’s current T20I setup, still holds an impressive record with 704 runs at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 119. While Dhawan lacked the explosiveness of Rohit or Suryakumar, his ability to anchor the innings at the top proved valuable in several Asia Cup and bilateral series clashes. 

He has scored the most runs (375) vs Sri Lanka in his T20I career, including 3 fifties. However, in the Asia Cup, Dhawan’s record wasn’t impressive with 79 runs in 4 innings. 

2. Rohit Sharma - 1279 Runs

2. Rohit Sharma - 1279 Runs [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

Closely following the leader is India’s ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, with 1279 runs. His numbers may not look as dominant in terms of average (28), but his strike rate of 142 makes him a deadly opener. 

Rohit has the ability to change games in a matter of overs with his six-hitting prowess. His highest T20I score of 101* runs also came against an Asian team, Afghanistan. In the Asia Cup alone, Rohit had 271 runs in 9 innings. Rohit was always a T20I giant, but in Asia, his dominance always transcended set bars.

1. Virat Kohli - 1345 Runs

1. Virat Kohli - 1345 Runs [Source: @Cricketadd75277/X.com]

To nobody’s surprise, Virat Kohli sits at the top with 1345 runs, averaging a jaw-dropping 71 with a strike rate of 133. Whether it is Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan, Kohli has often stood tall when India needed him the most. His match-winning knock against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is still fresh in memory. 

His only T20I hundred came against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup. In the regional tournament, Virat had 429 runs with a mammoth average of 85.80. Virat Kohli thrives on high-stakes encounters, and his average of 71 against Asian teams is unmatched, proving why he has been India’s most reliable batter for over a decade.

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