Scoring runs against the mighty Australians at their peak was never everyone’s cup of tea. Still, there was one man who stood against all odds, the ‘God of Cricket,’ Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Sachin is the highest run-scorer against the Australia national cricket team across all formats, with more than 6,700 runs in just 110 matches at an impressive average of 49.69. While many players fail to attain 20 centuries in their entire careers, the “God of Cricket” alone scored 20 centuries versus Australia during their peak years.
When it comes to Sachin Tendulkar’s best performance against the Australian national cricket team, his iconic 241 at the Sydney Cricket Ground will always be remembered as the greatest. This was more than just his best score versus Australia; it was a lesson in discipline, commitment, and mental fortitude.
This innings came during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy’s fourth test in 2003-04. Sachin had struggled throughout the series, failing to reach 50 in the first three tests and regularly getting out while chasing balls outside the off stump. But when he walked out to bat in Sydney, he had a different perspective. He promised himself that he would not play a single cover drive, no matter how appealing the delivery.
Ball after ball, he built his innings with immense patience. The Australian bowlers kept testing him outside off, waiting for a mistake, but Sachin didn’t budge. Slowly, their frustration grew, their lengths faltered, and then he began to punish them. What followed was a batting masterclass, where Sachin showed the world what sheer willpower, discipline, and stubbornness can do to succeed.
His 143 and 117 not out at Sharjah in 1998 are legendary examples of him single-handedly taking on Australia. The 175 he scored in Hyderabad during the fifth ODI of Australia’s 2009 tour of India is another notable innings that ranks among his finest. Sachin was the lone warrior, scoring nearly all of the runs while chasing a giant target of 350, despite India losing the match by just three runs.
Why Does This Stat Reflect Greatness?
When cricket fans talk about sheer dominance, everyone remembers the golden era of the Australian national cricket team from the late 90s to around 2010. They were brutal, fearless, and nearly unstoppable. From winning five ICC titles to sitting comfortably at the top of every rating, they established a benchmark that few teams have ever surpassed.
But even in that era of Australian supremacy, there was one man who stood tall against them time and again, and that was Sachin Tendulkar. Match after match, series after series, Sachin faced their fiercest bowlers and never backed down. He often ended up on the losing side, yet no Australian can ever forget the fight he put up.
Facing a world-class attack with the likes of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, and Jason Gillespie, Sachin relied on flawless technique, perfect timing, and controlled aggression. He would neutralize Warne’s spin by dancing down the track, often lofting him over midwicket, a signature move that could completely disrupt Australia’s rhythm. His precise footwork and straight drives through the “V” against the fast bowlers established the tone for India’s resistance.
At that time, Australia was the most ruthless team in the world, both mentally and tactically. They constantly targeted Sachin with aggressive fields and relentless sledging and saved their best spells just for him. The crowd would fall silent whenever he walked to the crease, whether in India or Australia, because everyone knew he was the one man capable of taking control of the game.
Top 5 All-Time Highest Run Scorers Against Australia (Test+ODI+T20is)
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 6707 runs
- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar represented India from 1989 till 2013 and is often known as the “God of Cricket” due to his excellent cricketing skills and achievements.
- Sachin has always been brilliant against Australia, even when the Australian cricket team was at its absolute peak. He single-handedly scored 6707 runs in 110 matches at an average of 49.69, proving time and again that no challenge was too big for him.
- Sachin has scored 20 centuries and 31 half-centuries against Australia.
2. Virat Kohli – 5477 runs
- Virat Kohli is the current Indian player representing India since 2009 and currently plays only the ODI format for India.
- India’s most successful Test captain, Virat Kohli, has scored 5,477 runs across formats against Australia with an impressive average of 49.28. He has also smashed 17 centuries and 28 half-centuries against one of the toughest teams in the world.
- Virat Kohli’s best ODI innings against Australia came in Jaipur in 2013, when he scored a breathtaking 115 runs off just 66 balls. What made this knock truly special was that he brought up his century in just 52 balls, making it the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian at the time.
3. Rohit Sharma – 3630 runs
- Rohit Sharma has been representing India since 2007 and currently plays only in ODI format for India.
- Former World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma has an impeccable record against Australia. He has scored more than 3,600 runs across formats at an impressive average of 43.65, including 10 centuries.
- Rohit Sharma is the only player to have struck a double century against Australia, with 209 in Bengaluru in 2014. Not to forget his blazing 92 against them in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
4. VVS Laxman – 3171 runs
- Laxman Represented India from 1996 to 2012
- Laxman has scored over 3000 runs against Australia, with his greatest score of 281 runs coming in the BGT 2001 in Eden Gardens, Kolkata. In the second innings of that historic Test, Laxman and Dravid formed one of the greatest partnerships in cricket history.
5. Rahul Dravid – 3071 runs
- Rahul Dravid represented India from 1996 to 2012.
- Rahul Dravid, widely known as “the Wall” for his intent, class, and patience in test cricket, has scored over 3000 runs against Australia. The best inning of the former Indian captain came in BGT 2001, when he scored a magnificent century in the second inning in Kolkata and saved India from humiliation.