Top 5 run-getters among Indians in T20s
With millions of viewers across the globe, the shortest format of the game has carved its own niche in a relatively short period of time.
After being initially disinterested and deeply resistant to T20s, India's romance with the format began when a young Indian team led by a 26-year-old Mahendra Singh Dhoni reached the pinnacle of the cricketing world in South Africa in 2007.
The formation of the Indian Premier League the following year attracted millions of new viewers to the fast-paced entertainment, escalating the horizon and reinforcing India as cricket's biggest market.
From Yuvraj Singh's six sixes to Virat Kohli's remarkable chases, plenty of Indian batsmen have shined in the format. With international fixtures, IPL, and other domestic T20 tournaments, they have amassed tons of runs in a format that predominantly favors batsmen.
As T20s gain further popularity with each passing year in the country, we take a look at India's top five run-getters in the format:
#5 MS Dhoni - 6757 Runs
MS Dhoni is a legitimate T20 superstar and was the man who changed the face and fate of Indian cricket by winning the inaugural T20 World Cup. Dhoni has amassed 6757 runs, having consistently batted in the middle and lower middle-order.
The 39-year-old's international T20 numbers of 1617 runs in 98 matches don't do justice to his stature at first glance, as he rarely got the chance to play over 30 balls.
In the IPL however, the clinical finisher has excelled. Dhoni is one of the top run-scorers in tournament history with 4568 runs in 178 innings. The 199-game IPL veteran has an excellent average of 41.5 and a strike-rate of 137.7 to boot.
#4 Shikhar Dhawan - 7653 Runs
Shikhar Dhawan slammed his maiden IPL hundred on Saturday against Chennai Super Kings to displace Chris Gayle as the highest run-scorer as an opener in IPL history.
The impulsive southpaw has garnered 4938 runs across 13 IPL seasons, having plied his trade for multiple franchises at a dependable average of 34.3 and strike rate of 126.
Dhawan holds the record for most runs in a calendar year in T20Is, having smashed 689 runs in 2019. Nevertheless, his international T20 numbers still fall in the category of mediocrity as he averages just 28.4 in 61 matches with 1588 runs.