India's Top 5 T20 World Cup Run-Scorers Who Have Set The Stage Alight Over Years
As India heads into another T20 World Cup, expectations are high, but there are questions about their status as favorites. Despite being the inaugural champions and dominating the T20 landscape with the IPL, they have made bold choices for their batting line-up, focusing on players who pass the eye-test over recent IPL form. This approach leans on traditional batting skills rather than a modern, data-driven strategy. How will this fare? Only time will tell. However, we can look back at the top Indian batters in T20 World Cup history:
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, India's lethal weapon in T20 World Cups, has an outstanding record. Despite a tough phase in 2022, he delivered a memorable 82* (53) against Pakistan. Debuting in 2012, he impressed with a 50 against Afghanistan and a match-winning 78 against Pakistan. In 2014 and 2016, he averaged 106.33 and 136.50 respectively, winning back-to-back Player of the Tournament awards. After a dip in 2021, Kohli comes to 2024 with the IPL 2024 Orange Cap, reinventing his game. This could be his and Rohit Sharma¡¯s last tournament.
2. Rohit Sharma
Entering his ninth T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma has been a constant presence since 2007. Starting as a middle-order hitter, he evolved into a five-time IPL winner and India's captain. With 963 runs at 34.39 and 127.88, he ranks as the fourth-highest run-scorer in tournament history. Key performances include an unbeaten 50 and 30 in 2007, and a 79* (46) in 2009. Despite recent underwhelming performances, his experience is invaluable.
3. Yuvraj Singh
?India¡¯s first true T20 player, Yuvraj Singh, scored 593 runs at a strike-rate of 128.91. He was the star of the 2007 win, striking at 194.74, highlighted by his famous six sixes. He maintained form in 2009 but struggled thereafter due to cancer. His best post-2007 knock was 60 (43) against Australia in 2014.??
4. MS Dhoni
The 2007-winning captain, MS Dhoni, scored 529 runs at 35.26 and 123.88 in 29 innings across six editions. Despite an inconsistent record, Dhoni played crucial knocks like 45 (33) against South Africa in 2007, and vital cameos in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
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5. Gautam Gambhir
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Recently appointed KKR mentor and potential future India coach, Gautam Gambhir scored 524 runs in T20 World Cups. His 227 runs in the 2007 edition, including a match-winning 75 in the final, cemented his reputation as a big-match player. Subsequent editions saw mixed performances, with a total strike rate of 118.01.?India¡¯s lineup for the upcoming World Cup reflects a blend of experience and a traditional approach to batting, hoping to reclaim their glory on the international stage.
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