IND vs SA: Abhishek Sharma on verge of breaking Virat Kohli's THIS Record in third T20I against South Africa

Abhishek Sharma struggled to make a mark with the bat in the first two games against South Africa.

Indian Cricket Team opener Abhishek Sharma is on the verge of breaking a massive record of Virat Kohli in T20s, which he can achieve in the upcoming third T20I against South Africa Cricket Team. The left-handed batsman will aim to make a comeback in the next encounter after failing to make a mark in the opening two matches.

The 25-year-old got out for 17 runs in both games against South Africa. In the first clash in Cuttack, he started well with two fours and a six, but could not hold his ground for long. In the previous encounter in New Chandigarh, he smacked two sixes at the beginning, but returned to the dugout within two overs.

Since his international debut last year, Abhishek Sharma has cemented his spot as an opener in the T20I team with his aggressive batting style and consistent performances. He has tasted immense success in tournaments like Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and Asia Cup 2025, where he was Player of the Tournament, this year, dominating at the domestic as well as international level.

Abhishek Sharma on the verge of breaking Virat Kohli’s record in third T20I against South Africa

With consistent performances in the T20s in 2025, the Indian opener is on the verge of overtaking Kohli in a massive record in the upcoming third T20I against the Proteas. Notably, Sharma is now just 82 runs away from surpassing Kohli for the record for most runs by an Indian batter in a calendar year in T20s.

In 2016, Kohli set the benchmark by smacking 1614 runs in 31 games, with four centuries and 14 half-centuries. Sharma has 1533 runs in 39 games so far in 2025, hitting three tons and nine fifties. Overall, West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran owns the record for most runs in a calendar year in T20s, with 2331 runs in 76 games in 2024.

Most runs by Indian batters in T20s in a calendar year

• Virat Kohli- 1614 runs (2016)
• Abhishek Sharma- 1533 runs (2025)
• Suryakumar Yadav- 1503 runs (2022)
• Suryakumar Yadav- 1338 runs (2023)
• Yashasvi Jaiswal- 1297 (2023)

Meanwhile, with three more games left against South Africa in the ongoing series, Sharma is expected to steal the feat from Kohli. However, he needs to buckle up in the upcoming clashes after flopping with the bat so far. The third T20I will be played on December 14 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

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