Indian batters with the best average in Asia Cup: India will start their Asia Cup campaign with the game against arch rivals, Pakistan. They had failed to qualify for the finals in the last edition after winning two successive editions in 2016 and 2018. India with 7 Asia Cup titles is the most successful side in the tournament. They have won 6 ODI editions and 1 T20I edition. Their batters have had a huge impact on the game with many players coming-of-age in the tournament. It isn’t a surprise that they dominate the batting charts with high averages. In the four decade-old competition, there are few names that still stand strong.
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We look at Indian batters with the best average in Asia Cup:
[Qualification criteria – 300 runs]
#5 Shikhar Dhawan – 59.33
He was India’s top run-scorer in two editions of the Asia Cup. Shikhar Dhawan switches on to the next level playing in a multi-nation ODI tournament. He is one of the common names in highest run-getters list across such competitions. Dhawan played a pivotal role in India’s win in the 2018 edition. He has scored 534 runs in 9 Asia Cup games at an average of 59.33. His best score in the competition is 127. Dhawan notched up two centuries and two half-centuries in these 9 games. His strike rate of 91.43 is super impressive for someone who opens the innings.
#4 Suresh Raina – 60.77
He had a breakthrough tournament in the 2008 edition. Suresh Raina batted with absolute freedom in that tournament. He found resounding success with his methods. Raina was India’s batting lynchpin in the later editions of the tournament. He shepherded the middle order especially in the 2012 edition. Raina averages 60.77 in 13 games scoring 547 runs. He amassed 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries in the tournament. His strike rate of 113.95 is easily amongst the highest in the history of the tournament.
#3 Virat Kohli – 61.30
He didn’t feature in the 2018 edition where Rohit Sharma led the side. Virat Kohli played 3 Asia Cup tournaments from 2010-14. He played a total of 11 games scoring 613 runs. It was in the 2012 Asia Cup wherein he notched up his personal best ODI score of 183. In a must-win game against Pakistan, Kohli switched on his beast mode to help India stay alive in the competition. He averages 61.30 in the tournament at a strike rate of 97.14. Kohli has scored 3 centuries and a fifty in 10 innings in the tournament.
#2 MS Dhoni – 64.80
He led India to two Asia Cup titles, one in 2010 and the other one in 2016. MS Dhoni operated at a different level in the Asia Cup. He played a total of 19 games from 2008-2018. Dhoni amassed 648 runs at a tremendous average of 64.80 with a healthy strike rate of 87.68. He smashed a century and two half-centuries in the tournament. His 12 sixes in the tournament is among the highest in the league’s history.
#1 Navjot Singh Sidhu – 66.25
The number one on the list is a surprising name. Navjot Singh Sidhu played the Asia Cup between 1988-1997. He scored a total of 530 runs in 12 innings wherein he remained unbeaten in 4 of them. Sidhu averaged 66.25 thanks to his 6 fifties and one century. He was not the most comfortable of batters against pace but he completely dominated spin bowling. Looking at the way how ODI cricket has evolved, it is heartening to see a batter’s name from the 80s appear on this list.
