3 Indian batsmen with the most ODI runs against Australia

Over the years, India and Australia have produced some riveting cricket in the ODI arena. Right from Sachin Tendulkar’s Desert Storm hundred in Sharjah in 1998, to Ricky Ponting’s demolition of the Indian pace attack in the 2003 World Cup final, to Rohit Sharma’s whirlwind 209 at Bangalore in 2013, the players of both the teams have produced several immortal moments that the aficionados of the game can cherish with fondness.

Australians have always found India as a tough opponent since the 90s and while earlier they started most games as favourites, the tables have turned now.

Also see - India Australia schedule

Australia will face India in a short three match ODI series from January 14th to January 19th. This will be the first ODI series for both teams in 2020, and the Indians will look to remain invincible at home. Let us look at three Indian batsmen who have scored the most runs against Australia in ODI cricket.

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Virat Kohli has emerged as the undisputed monarch of modern day cricket.

#3. Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper has been in blistering form with the bat in ODI cricket, and is already considered by many as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Virat Kohli is the fastest to 10000 ODI runs, and is second in the list of batsmen with most ODI centuries (43), after Sachin Tendulkar (49). And Kohli has been in stunning form against the Aussies. The batting dynamite has played 35 innings against the Aussies and scored 1727 runs at an average of 53.96. Kohli has also scored eight hundreds in ODI cricket against Australia.

He also holds the record for scoring the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian, when he smashed a 52-ball hundred against Australia at Jaipur in the year 2013.

Virat Kohli's record against Australia

Innings:35 | Runs:1727 | Average:53.96 | 100s:8 | 50s:6

The ‘Hitman’ has found a special liking to the Australian bowling attack.

#2. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has emerged as one of the greatest openers of the modern era in limited overs cricket. The Indian vice-captain has already scored 8944 runs in ODI cricket, and is fourth in the list of batsmen with most ODI centuries with 28 hundreds to his name. The ‘Hitman’ has found a special liking to the Australian bowling attack.

Sharma has featured in 37 innings against the Kangaroos in ODI cricket and scored 2037 runs at an average of 61.72, including 7 hundreds and 8 fifties. Rohit scored his first ODI double hundred against Australia when he smashed 209 at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore in 2013.

He has also hit a stunning 93 sixes against Australia in international cricket, and if he can score seven more sixes in the upcoming ODI series, he will achieve the rare feat of becoming the first Indian batsman to score 100 sixes against a single opponent in international cricket.

Rohit Sharma's record against Australia

Innings:37 | Runs:2037 | Average:61.72 | 100s:7 | 50s:8

Sachin Tendulkar has scored a gargantuan 3077 runs against Australia in ODI cricket.

#1. Sachin Tendulkar

Batting records and Sachin Tendulkar are almost synonymous with each other and he holds almost every major batting record in ODI cricket. He is the leading run scorer in the format with 18426 runs, and has scored the most hundreds (49) and the most fifties (96) as well, in ODI cricket.

The Master Blaster featured in 77 ODIs for India against the Aussies and scored a gargantuan 3077 runs, including 9 hundreds and 15 fifties at an average of 44.59.

Tendulkar has also played several iconic innings against the Australian team. His magical 143* at Sharjah in 1998, the 117* in the CB series final in 2008 and the age-defying 175 at Hyderabad in 2009 are some of the gems that Tendulkar conjured against the Aussies. He is also the only batsman in history to have scored more than 3000 runs against Australia in ODI cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar's record against Australia

Innings:70 | Runs: 3077 | Average: 44.59 | 100s:9 | 50s:15