IND vs AUS 2020: Most runs against Australia in ODIs by an Indian batsman

Team India are all set to take on Australia in a gruelling tour, which will get underway on November 27 with the first ODI (One Day International) at Sydney.

India will face the Aussies in three ODIs, followed by as many T20Is. The limited-overs series will be followed by four Tests, which will begin with the Day-Night encounter at Adelaide on December 17.

Looking at the ODI record of the two teams, Australia have a significant edge over Team India. Out of 140 matches played between the two sides, Australia have been victorious in 78 matches, while India have won only 52.

Down Under, India have played 51 matches, winning only 13. However, Team India registered an impressive 2-1 triumph the last time these two sides faced off in a one-day series in Australia.

A number of Indian batsmen have enjoyed taking on the Aussie bowlers in ODIs over the years. Let’s take a look at the top three run-scorers for India against Australia in the ODI format.

Top 3 Indian batsmen with most runs in ODIs against Australia

#1. Sachin Tendukar (3077 runs)

Sachin Tendulkar

It is least surprising to know that Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for having scored the most number of runs in ODIs against Australia.

In 71 one-day matches for Team India against Australia from 1991 to 2012, Tendulkar aggregated 3077 runs at an average of 44.59. He smashed nine hundreds and 15 fifties at a strike rate of 84.71.

Tendulkar's highest score against Australia was 175, which came in a losing cause at Hyderabad in November 2009. His maiden ODI century also came against the Aussies, when he made 110 at Colombo in September 1994. The rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

Some of Tendulkar’s most famous hundreds, including the twin centuries at Sharjah in 1998, came against Australia. The revered list also includes 141 in the ICC Champions Trophy in 1998 and 117 not out during the first CB Series Final at Sydney on March 2, 2008.

#2. Rohit Sharma (2208 runs)

Rohit Sharma

Another prolific Mumbaikar, Rohit Sharma, is second on the elite list. Rohit, who could miss the entire tour of Australia, has 2208 runs to his name in 40 ODIs at an excellent average of 61.33. He has scored eight hundreds and as many fifties at a strike rate of 93.87.

One of Rohit’s three double hundreds was scored against Australia. He smashed a memorable 209 from only 158 balls in the seventh ODI of the 2013-14 series at Bengaluru.

Rohit blasted 16 sixes to go with his 12 fours as India posted 383 on the board, and won the contest by 57 runs.

Rohit Sharma has played some excellent knocks in Australia as well -- 138 at Melbourne (January 2015), 171 not out at Perth (January 2016) and 124 at Brisbane (January 2016). He was also the man of the match with 119 at Bengaluru in the third ODI (January 2020) as India won the series 2-1.

#3. Virat Kohli (1910 runs)

Virat Kohli

Team India skipper Virat Kohli completes the top three list. In 40 ODIs against Australia, he has scored 1910 runs at an average of 54.57 with eight hundreds and an equal number of fifties at a strike rate of 96.65.

Kohli’s first ODI hundred came at Visakhapatnam in 2010. His 121-ball 118 saw India chase down 290 with ease. He played two blistering knocks during the 2013 home series -- 100 not out off 52 at Jaipur and 115 not out off 66 at Nagpur as India chased down 350 plus scores without much trouble on both occasions.

Kohli has three hundreds against Australia in Australia. His 104 in the second ODI of the 2019 series at Adelaide gave India a crucial series-levelling win in a chase of 299.

The Indian skipper registered two more hundreds during the 2019 home series, which Australia ended up clinching 3-2 after being 0-2 down.