From Virat Kohli’s majestic knocks to Suryakumar Yadav’s belligerence – India’s top five run-scorers in Asia Cup T20Is

As India gear up for their tournament opener against UAE in the 2025 Asia Cup, they will be coming to the competition with an exciting crop of players. With three of their stalwarts, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja bidding adieu to the shortest format of the sport after the 2024 T20 World Cup, this is going to be a new dawn for the Men in Blue.

Before all the action begins with India’s young brigade all set to take the continent by storm, here’s a look at the top five Indian run-scorers in the history of the Asia Cup in the T20 format. A potential link from the past might just be the perfect runway for the future to take flight.

Virat Kohli – 429 runs

The RCB stalwart who has always manifested into an unstoppable run-machine, Virat Kohli tops the chart emphatically. With 429 runs in his repertoire, he leads the list for the Indian run-scorers and also sits atop the pile across the continent. Apart from his famous 122* against Afghanistan in 2022, Kohli notched up three fifties from the 10 matches that he played, setting the yardstick of brilliance in the competition at another level.

Rohit Sharma – 271 runs

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has also proven himself to be a rock at the top. From the nine matches that he played for Team India in the T20 format of the Asia Cup, he has managed to garner 271 runs at an average of 30.11 and a strike rate of 141.14. His belligerence in the opening slot might have found a new successor in Abhishek Sharma, but stepping into Sharma's shoes is never an easy task, and it remains to be seen if the young southpaw can match up to the expectations on his shoulders.

Suryakumar Yadav – 139 runs

India’s current T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav will be the cynosure of all eyes, with his return to action after a surgery one of the subplots of the Asia Cup narrative. However, until now, he has been a part of five fixtures in the history of the tournament and as things stand, he has amassed 139 runs at a strike rate of 163.52. With an unbeaten 68 being his best in the tournament, he will be hoping to add more to his tally and lead the way for the Men in Blue this time around.

KL Rahul – 132 runs

Rahul has featured in five matches and has proven to be a solid tactical support for India. With 132 runs in his kitty, Rahul is 4th on the list, but he will not have a chance to add to this tally given his absence from India's squad for this year's edition of the Asia Cup.

Yuvraj Singh – 89 runs

One of India’s trailblazers of the aggressive brand of cricket that they now play and an integral part of Abhishek Sharma’s cricketing mentorship, Yuvraj Singh has also been a key element of the Indian cricket team in their quest for continental glory. With 89 runs from five matches, Yuvraj did set the benchmark high enough for the Indian brigade to tread on the road to history. However, with Hardik Pandya's tally of 83 runs hot on his reels, Yuvraj might just be forced down the pecking order.