Indian opener Abhishek Sharma is on the verge of breaking a nine-year-old record held by Virat Kohli for the most runs scored by an Indian in a calendar year in T20 cricket. Kohli set the mark in 2016 by scoring 1,614 runs in 29 innings.

Abhishek Sharma is currently part of India’s five-match T20 series against South Africa. He got starts in the first two matches but returned to the pavilion after scoring 17 runs in each game. Despite his early dismissals, Sharma has a great chance in the remaining three matches to surpass Kohli’s record from 2016.

According to LiveHindustan, Sharma has already played 39 T20 matches this calendar year and amassed 1,533 runs. This puts him just 82 runs short of breaking Kohli’s record. Sharma has also overtaken Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 1,503 runs in 2022, and now only Kohli’s record stands in his way.

In 2025, Sharma has scored 790 runs playing T20 internationals for India. The upcoming match against South Africa on December 14 in Dharamshala could be crucial. The series currently stands tied at 1-1, with both teams having analyzed each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Dharamshala’s ground, known for its small boundaries, offers good stroke-playing opportunities once the batsmen settle. The average first innings score here is around 187, and dew is expected later in the evening.

Here is a list of most runs by Indian batsmen in a calendar year in T20 cricket:

Virat Kohli – 1,614 runs (2016)

Abhishek Sharma – 1,533 runs (2025)

Suryakumar Yadav – 1,503 runs (2022)

Suryakumar Yadav – 1,338 runs (2023)

(Udaipur Kiran)

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