India vs Australia has always been an epic rivalry on the cricket field. Whether India visit Down Under or the Aussies come to the subcontinent, the fans have got to witness the fierce competition between the two teams. Australia is the most successful team in Cricket World Cup history, while India is the only team to win 50-overs, 60-overs, and 20-overs World Cup.
Speaking of T20 cricket, the Aussies have not been so dominant in the game’s shortest. The marquee players of the Australian team preferred playing the longer formats and often skipped bilateral T20I series. However, that trend has changed of late. The likes of David Warner, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell have performed brilliantly under Aaron Finch’s captaincy.
Since Australia was going to host the ICC T20 World Cup this year, they were quite serious in this form of the game. The COVID-19 pandemic has postponed the tournament to 2022. Still, Australia will look to continue their winning form against India as there are two T20 World Cups in the next two years.
India and Australia will play 3 T20Is in the ongoing tour. Here’s a look at those five batsmen who have achieved the most success in these T20I matches.
MS Dhoni – 313 runs
Former Indian wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from all forms of international cricket on 15 August 2020. The right-handed batsman was the first captain to knock out Australia of the T20 World Cup event.
Dhoni had a great record against Australia. The Ranchi-based batsman aggregated 313 runs in 17 T20Is versus them. His highest score was 48*, while his strike rate in those matches was 112.18.
Rohit Sharma – 318 runs
Many consider Rohit Sharma as one of the best T20 batsmen in the world. The reason behind it is that the Hitman plays big knocks in the game’s shortest format. He holds the record for the most centuries in this format, while against Australia, Rohit has registered a double hundred in ODI cricket.
Talking about Rohit’s performance against Australia in T20I matches, the right-handed batsman has scored 318 runs in 16 innings. He was a part of the Indian squad that defeated Australia in the 2007 T20 World Cup semifinal. Sharma has hit three fifties versus the Aussies in this format.
Glenn Maxwell – 353 runs
Despite a disappointing performance in IPL 2020, Glenn Maxwell destroyed the Indian bowling lineup in the previous ODI series. He is likely to wreak havoc in the 3-match T20I series as well. Maxwell had recently scored a T20I century versus the Men in Blue.
It is pertinent to note that the Kings XI Punjab star has aggregated more T20I runs against India than Steve Smith and David Warner. In just 12 T20I innings, Maxwell has scored 353 runs at a strike rate of 145.86.
Aaron Finch – 405 runs
Australian captain Aaron Finch is the leading run-getter for his nation in T20Is against India. The opening batsman has played 13 T20I matches, scoring 405 runs at a strike rate of 137.28. He has recorded a couple of half-centuries versus India, while his highest score is 89.
Finch will be the key to success for Australia in the upcoming series as well as the next T20 World Cups. The skipper will be keen to lead his team from the front in upcoming India vs Australia series.
Virat Kohli – 584 runs
Virat Kohli played one of his best T20I knocks against Australia during the ICC T20 World Cup 2016. The right-handed batsman has played 15 T20I innings versus the Aussies, aggregating 584 runs at an average of 64.88.
His highest score against Australia in T20I cricket is 90*. Although he has got out for a duck once, Kohli has six fifties against the Aussies. It will be interesting to see how the Indian captain performs in his final T20I series of the year.
