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India cricket team captain Rohit Sharma, with 975 runs, is the current leader on the list for Indian batters with the most T20I runs against Asian teams.

Rohit has played in 37 innings against the Asian teams, registering an average of 28.67 and a strike rate of 141.71. Breaking down his 975-run tally, the Indian opener has excelled against Bangladesh often in the shortest format of cricket.

In 11 innings against Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma has hit 452 runs at a strike rate of 144.40. Furthermore, the Bangla Tigers are the only team in Asia against whom Rohit has hit five half-centuries.

Rohit Sharma’s best T20I outing against Bangladesh came back in the 2018 Tri-Series. In the fifth game, his 61-ball 89 propelled India to an eventual match-winning score of 176/3.

Sri Lanka is Rohit’s next favourite opponent in Asia. The opener slammed 339 runs in 16 innings against the Lankan Lions. Rohit Sharma’s 43-ball 118 against Sri Lanka at Indore in 2017 is his highest individual score in T20I cricket.

In two innings against Afghanistan, Rohit has scored 75, while he has managed just 70 runs in seven innings against Pakistan.

Former India captain Virat Kohli is second on this list. Arguably one of the greatest batters in modern-day cricket, Kohli has registered 829 runs in 18 innings against Asian teams at an impressive average of 75.36.

In six innings against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli has hit 339 runs at a strike rate of 140.66. Against them, Kohli scored four of his nine T20I half-tons.

Kohli’s return against Pakistan is 311 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 118.25.

It is worth mentioning that Virat Kohli has the most runs by an Indian in the Asia Cup (T20I format). In five games, the top-order batter has 153 runs, all coming in the tournament's 2015/16-winning campaign. 

Next on the list of Indian batters with the most T20I runs against Asian teams is Shikhar Dhawan.

The flamboyant left-hander has accrued 704 runs in 24 innings. Dhawan’s 375 runs against Sri Lanka is his best performance against an Asian team in T20 cricket.

Suresh Raina and KL Rahul complete the top-five list for Indian batters with the most T20I runs against Asian teams.

The now-retired Raina hit 496 runs in 23 innings for India in T20I cricket, with the majority of his runs (265) coming against Sri Lanka.

KL Rahul, meanwhile, has 466 runs in 13 innings. Sri Lanka (295 runs in seven innings) remain the only Asian team against whom Rahul has aggregated over 100 runs.

Indian batters with most T20I runs against Asian teams

Player Runs
Rohit Sharma 975
Virat Kohli 829
Shikhar Dhawan 704
Suresh Raina 496
KL Rahul 466

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / LINDSEY PARNABY

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