Six-time ODI World Cup winners Australia have been one of the toughest opponents for any cricket team in the world. Over the years, only a few have managed to dominate them consistently.
Among those few, one Indian name stands tall and that is the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Even being retired for more than a decade, Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI runs against Australia remains untouched.
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But with the modern-day greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli inching closer to Tendulkar's run tally, fans have started wondering whether either of them will rewrite the record books soon.
The two stalwarts of the Indian team are all set to return to international cricket this month after the pair was picked in India's ODI squad that will tour down under to take on Australia in a three-match series.
Let’s take a look at the top ten run-scorers against Australia in ODIs and see how close Rohit and Kohli are to breaking Sachin’s long-standing milestone.
Top 5 batters with most ODI runs against Australia
Sachin Tendulkar leads the chart with 3077 runs in 70 innings, averaging 44.59 with nine centuries and fifteen fifties.
Next comes Virat Kohli, who has scored 2451 runs from 48 innings at a stunning average of 54.46. Kohli has eight centuries and fifteen half-centuries against the Aussies.
Just behind him is Rohit Sharma, who has amassed 2407 runs in 46 innings with an even higher average of 57.30. The former Indian skipper is also the only player to score a double century against Australia in ODIs.
Here is the list of the top 10 batters with the most runs against Australia:
| Batsman | Team | Runs | Innings | Average | Highest Score | 100s/50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 3077 | 70 | 44.59 | 175 | 9/15 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2451 | 48 | 54.46 | 123 | 8/15 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2407 | 46 | 57.30 | 209 | 8/9 |
| Desmond Haynes | West Indies | 2262 | 64 | 40.39 | 148 | 6/13 |
| Viv Richards | West Indies | 2187 | 50 | 50.86 | 153* | 3/20 |
| Eoin Morgan | England | 1952 | 56 | 39.83 | 121 | 3/13 |
| Brain Lara | West Indies | 1858 | 50 | 39.53 | 139 | 3/15 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 1813 | 46 | 43.16 | 104 | 2/12 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 1660 | 48 | 44.86 | 139* | 2/11 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 1660 | 50 | 34.58 | 104* | 1/13 |
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Can Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record?
Sachin’s record of over 3000 runs against Australia is remarkable and it has stood strong for nearly 15 years. However, both Rohit and Kohli are within touching distance as they need fewer than 700 runs to overtake him.
The India vs Australia ODI series, starting October 19, will give Rohit and Kohli another chance to move a little closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
The three-match series may not be enough for either of them to cross the 3000-run mark, but it can certainly help them narrow the gap. Both players still need around 600 runs or more to go past him.
That is a big target to reach in just three matches, but if they continue playing against Australia in the coming seasons, they could eventually challenge the record.
For now, this ODI series is more about reducing the distance and given their remarkable consistency against Australia, both Rohit and Kohli are well capable of inching closer to Tendulkar’s milestone.
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