Shikhar Dhawan surpasses MS Dhoni in a T20I record in India's six-wicket win over Australia
Shikhar Dhawan surpasses MS Dhoni in a T20I record in India’s six-wicket win over Australia
Shikhar Dhawan surpassed MS Dhoni to become India's third-highest run-getter in the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) on Sunday. Dhawan achieved the feat during India's six-wicket win over Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in the second T20I of their ongoing three-match series.
Dhawan, who scored 52 off 36 balls on Sunday, now has 1,641 runs in the T20Is. The Delhi batsman took 61 innings to get there, while Dhoni had scored 1,617 runs in 85 innings. Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer for India in the shortest format with 2,843 runs in 78 innings at an average of 49.87 ahead of his limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma, who has scored 2,773 runs in 100 innings at an average of 32.62.
Only three Indian batsmen have scored a century in the T20Is, and Kohli is not one of them. While Rohit has recorded four centuries in T20Is, KL Rahul has two and Suresh Raina one. Kohli has registered 24 fifties in T20Is, Rohit 21, and Dhawan 11.
In the absence of Rohit, Rahul is the vice-captain of India's limited-overs side in the underway Down Under tour. If he manages to score 76 runs in the third T20I, which is on Tuesday at the SCG, Rahul would climb up to No. 4, surpassing Dhoni and Raina in the most runs list for India. As of now, Rahul has 1,542 runs in 40 innings at 45.35, while Raina, who retired earlier this year from international cricket along with Dhoni, scored 1,605 runs in 66 T20I innings at an average of 29.18.
Meanwhile, among the bowlers, Yuzvendra Chahal claimed a record during India's win against Australia on Sunday. By dismissing Steve Smith, who was Chahal's only wicket of the day, the leg-spinner equalled Jasprit Bumrah as India's joint-leading wicket-taker in the T20Is – 59 wickets.
By losing the One-Day International (ODI) series, Kohli-led India kickstarted the Australian summer on a poor note. However, the Men in Blue bounced back by defeating the hosts in the three-match T20I series. Ahead of the third T20I, which will be a dead rubber, India will look to continue their winning momentum.
With the latest T20I series win in Australia, India skipper Kohli became the first Indian captain to win a T20I series in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA countries). Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni won the T20I series in South Africa and Australia, but could not do so in New Zealand and England.
After the ongoing T20I series, the focus will shift to the longest format. The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series is going to be a pink ball game, which will also be India's maiden overseas day-night Test. The remaining three Tests are scheduled to be played in Melbourne (Dec. 26-30), Sydney (Jan. 7-11), and Brisbane (Jan. 15-19).