New Delhi [India], October 27 (ANI): Young Indian batting stars Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma are near the 1,000 run mark as the five-match T20I series against Australia Down Under draws closer.

After the triumph in the Asia Cup, a young and unstoppable Team India led by Suryakumar Yadav will be looking to test itself against Australia in an exciting five-match T20I series, set to start from October 29 onwards.

Abhishek stands at 849 runs in 24 matches and 23 innings at an average of 36.91 and a strike rate of 196.07, including two centuries and five fifties. He is coming after a breakthrough Asia Cup, scoring 314 runs in six matches, averaging above 44 and SR of 200, with three fifties, taking home the 'Player of the Tournament' prize.

If Abhishek can knock off these 151 runs in the next three innings, he would be joining Indian legend Virat Kohli as the joint-fastest to 1,000 T20I runs.

This year, the Punjabi hitter has been at his most lethal, with 593 runs in 12 innings, averaging 49.41 and striking at 208.80, with a century (54-ball 135 against England) and four fifties to his name.

On the other hand, Tilak Varma is at 962 runs in 32 matches and 30 innings at an average of 53.44, with a strike rate of 149.14, having scored two centuries and four fifties. The Hyderabadi hitter is coming to the series after the Asia Cup, where he emerged as India's second-highest run-getter with 213 runs in six innings at an average of 71.00 and best score of 69*, which came against Pakistan in the final and earned him the 'Player of the Match' honours.

This year in 12 T20Is and 11 innings, Tilak has scored 346 runs at an average of 57.66, with a strike rate of 131.55, with two fifties and a best score of 72*.

Indian T20I team for Australia tour: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar. (ANI)