3 best Indian batters with most runs in their first 5 T20Is
Winner of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the Indian team has seen numerous world-class batters in T20Is over the years. While veterans like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni graced the pitch for India during the early days of the 20-over format, batters including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are world-beaters at the moment.
Thanks to the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Men in Blue have never been short of batting firepower and are currently one of the strongest sides in world cricket. The IPL has laid the foundation for unearthing incredible talent year after year, owing to which the level of competition in Indian cricket has escalated.
With so much competition within the unit, players often strive to impress and make full use of their opportunities right from the onset of their careers. In the case of batters, they aim to score as many runs as possible and contribute to the team's success.
On that note, let's take a look at the top three Indian batters with the most runs in their first five T20I innings.
#3 Virender Sehwag - 158 runs
A fearless player who changed the way people looked at the game, Virender Sehwag served the Indian team with all his might and assertiveness.
While Sehwag had some terrific numbers in all three formats of the game, he didn't play much T20I cricket as the stalwart was in the latter stages of his career when the new-fashioned format was launched. Nevertheless, he was one of the most crucial players in the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning Indian side. He and Gautam Gambhir gave the Indian team fantastic starts that enabled them to win multiple encounters.
ODI - 201* at Hamilton
Test - 137 at Centurion
T20I - 136 at Durban
Virender Sehwag & Gautam Gambhir Only Indian Pair With Century Partnership in Overseas in all 3 formats! https://t.co/OBo1WGqplb
The 20-over format suited Sehwag as he adapted to the format quickly, scoring 158 runs in his first five innings. Sehwag scored 34 on his T20I debut before registering 40 and 68 (his best T20I score) in his next two games.
#2 KL Rahul - 187 runs
Despite playing his last T20 international in 2021, KL Rahul is still one of the best T20 batters and a pillar of the Indian team at the top of the order.
Classy and consistent as ever, the Karnataka batter has amassed 1,831 runs in 52 T20I innings - the third-most runs by an Indian in T20Is. On top of that, he is the only Indian to score more than one T20I century.
KL Rahul stands second on the list, having scored 187 runs in his first five T20 international innings. However, the start to his T20I career wasn't a memorable one as the right-hander registered a golden duck in his debut game against Zimbabwe in 2016.
Me again https://t.co/qGbuY9saYi
The flamboyant cricketer soon made amends when he scored the first of his two T20I hundreds in only his fourth T20 international. Rahul clobbered a 51-ball 110* against the West Indies in Florida. He added another 47* which propelled his tally of first five innings to 187.
#1 Deepak Hooda - 215 runs
A player with enormous talent, Deepak Hooda spearheads this list with 215 runs to his name in his first five T20I innings. It shouldn't come as a surprise, as the Rohtak-born basher has been utterly impressive in all the chances he has been given.
So far, Hooda has featured in seven T20Is. However, he didn't get an opportunity to bat in his first two games. In his next five innings, Hooda scored 21, 47*, 104, 33, and 10*.
12 internationals for Deepak Hooda; 12 wins for Team India.
#WIvIND https://t.co/gmKbU0L8KJ
Hooda's phenomenal 104 came against Ireland in Dublin two months back. Due to stiff competition in the Indian unit, regular opportunities have been hard to come by for Hooda. Still, the 27-year old has accumulated the most runs by an Indian batter in his first five innings in T20Is.