Given that the team is relying on young talent, only one player stands out with hefty runs in the T20 format

After losing the ODI series against Australia, the Indian team has come under severe criticism, given the transitional changes it has recently undergone. The team is heavily relying on young talent, hoping to create a core squad for the 2027 World Cup in the ODI format. Unfortunately, things have not started well.

The transitional phase is not limited only to the ODI but also to the T20 format. After winning the T20 World Cup last season, several veteran big names have said goodbye to the game, and therefore, the team is now experimenting with a young bunch of players.

Ahead of the series, let us look at who the highest run scorers in T20 from the current Indian squad set to face Australia are.

Suryakumar Yadav

Captain Suryakumar Yadav is one of the few veterans in the team who is known for his prowess and experience in T20Is. Since 2021, Yadav has played 90 games, having amassed 2,670 runs at an average of 37.08 while maintaining a strike rate of 164.20.

So far in his career, he has scored four T20 centuries and 21 half-centuries. Known for hitting massive boundaries, Yadav has hit 243 boundaries and 148 sixes. Unfortunately, in recent months, Yadav’s willow has not done much damage, and therefore, he will be looking forward to getting back his form.

Sanju Samson

Next on the list is Sanju Samson, a T20 specialist who is expected to play big and cement his position in the format. In four years, Samson has played 49 matches, scoring 993 runs at an average of 26.13 while maintaining a strike rate of 147.98. Last year, Samson scored his maiden T20 century against Bangladesh, hitting 111 runs in merely 47 balls.

Tilak Verma

Another youngster in the squad, Tilak Verma, has 32 games up his sleeve with 962 runs scored so far. Verma is one of the few Indian players to have scored 120 or more runs in a single innings. Last year, Verma scored 120 runs in 47 deliveries against South Africa. He also became only the second Indian to score consecutive centuries in the T20I format after Sanju Samson. It must be noted that Verma’s average of 53.44 is highly impressive.

Abhishek Sharma

Having made his debut last year, Sharma has already played 24 T20I games, having amassed 849 runs at an average of 36.91. Abhishek Sharma is also among the few youngsters who have two centuries in the format. The biggest highlight of his career so far is his 135 runs off 54 balls against England earlier in January 2025.

Shubman Gill

Finally, the fifth place belongs to Shubman Gill, who is India’s ODI and Test captain. If we look at how T20 is played in a fast-paced manner, Gill’s 705 runs in 28 matches at an average of 28.20 cannot be idolised from a fan point of view. However, he scored 126 runs in one match and has a strike rate of 144.11. Gill’s ODI series has not been great, and therefore, it is essential that he scores big in the T20Is.