Top five run scorers when India faced Australia in T20 internationals

The contest between India and Australia is not just about the runs, the wickets and the catches. The heat, even in the coldest of the conditions, can be sensed. India vs Australia games, by no means, are short of entertainment!

After winning the 5-match ODI series against Australia, India will now take on the Aussies in a 3-match T20I series beginning on the 7th of October, 2017.

Players from both the sides have performed their hearts out in the past. Here is a list of leading run scorers when the Indians and the Australians challenged each other in the shortest format.

#5 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is currently one of the best timers of the cricket ball. The Indian opener, in 13 T20Is against Australia, has scored 264 runs with a strike rate of 135.38. The 'Hit-Man' has three scores in excess of 50 as well against the Aussies.

His highest against Australia came during the ICC World T20 match at Bridgetown on 7th May, 2010. Australia had scored 184/5 thanks to fifties by David Warner and Shane Watson. In reply India could only score 135. But Rohit Sharma scored 79* that included six sixes and four fours. India eventually lost the game by 49 runs.

Having emerged as the leading run scorer in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, Sharma has a lot to offer in the upcoming T20I series as well.

#4 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh is one of the cleanest strikers the cricketing world has ever witnessed, and the Indian hitter always enjoyed his contests against the Aussies.

He has scored 283 runs at a strong average of 56.6, with a deadly strike rate of 161.7 against Australia in 10 T20Is, going past the fifty-run mark three times.

The southpaw's best against Australia came in his comeback game on 10th October, 2013 at Rajkot. After being 100/4, India chased down the target of 202 with two balls to spare, thanks to the ever entertaining partnership of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj smashed 77* including five sixes and eight fours in mere 35 balls.

#3 Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch's 156 against England is the highest individual score in T20Is. The former Australian T20I skipper will have a key role to play in the upcoming T20I series as he is the third highest run scorer in India vs Australia T20I games.

Finch has scored 292 runs with a very good strike rate of 145.27, at a decent T20I average of 48.66 in six innings, in two of which he scored fifties.

His best against India came, when he scored a blistering 89 at Rajkot on the 10th October, 2013. His knock included as many as 14 fours and a lone six against an Indian bowling line up consisting of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma.

#2 Shane Watson

Shane Watson is one of the very good T20 all-rounders. He has very good variations with the ball and the fact that he holds the second spot on this list, allows none to question his skills with the bat as well.

'Watto' has scored 302 runs at a brilliant average of 50.33 with a strike rate just under 160, in eight innings against India. He has two fifties and a lone hundred as well.

Watson's 124* at Sydney on the 31st January, 2016, is the highest individual score in an India vs Australia T20I game. The ten fours and the six sixes that were included in his majestic knock, helped Australia to put on a total of 198.

But India chased the target down, thanks to the fifties by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

#1 Virat Kohli

Often regarded as the best batsman currently in world cricket, Virat Kohli leads this list with 401 runs at an outstanding average of 66.83 scoring almost 145 runs per hundred balls faced, against the Aussies.

His T20I best of 90* off 55 balls came against the Australia at the Adelaide Oval, on the 26th January, 2016. Kohli smashed nine fours and two sixes in the process. The knock helped India to post a total of 188 on the board. Thanks to disciplined bowling by Indian bowlers, Australia were bowled out for just 151 and thus handing Indians a 37-run victory.

After losing the ODI series, the Aussies will look to come back hard at the Indians in the upcoming T20I series. The Indian skipper will be looking forward to lead his team from the front.