Abhishek Sharma on course to break Shikhar Dhawan's record in third T20I against Australia
Young Indian batter Abhishek Sharma has been in sensational form throughout the 2025 season. In just 14 T20Is, the explosive left-hander has piled up 680 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 202.98. He is now closing in on Shikhar Dhawan’s long-standing record for the most runs by an Indian opener in a calendar year. Dhawan had amassed 689 runs in 17 innings back in 2018, and Abhishek is just nine runs short of surpassing that mark. Given his current form and attacking approach, it seems only a matter of time before he overtakes Dhawan to claim the record.
The 25-year-old is also within striking distance of another major milestone, breaking Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a single calendar year. Kohli had scored 781 runs in 20 T20I matches during 2022, placing him second on the all-time list among Indian batters. The top spot is held by current T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who registered a staggering 1,164 runs in 31 matches in 2022.
India trailing 1-0 in series
Despite Abhishek’s heroics in the second T20I against Australia, where he scored 68 runs off 37 balls, India posted only 125 runs on the board in the first innings. The batters struggled to deal with Josh Hazlewood early on as the Aussie quick clinched three wickets for 12 runs in his four overs. He set the tone and the Indian batters couldn’t live up to the expectations as nine cricketers scored in single digits. Harshit Rana supported Abhishek well in the middle, scoring 35 runs but it wasn’t enough.
Australia chased 126 with 40 balls to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The visitors now need to produce a better batting performance to bounce back and settle the score.
