Analysis

5 Indian Batters with Most Ducks in International Cricket

India are currently locking horns against England in Match 29 of the ODI World Cup 2023. England won the toss and opted to field first and their bowlers justified the decision by picking up 3 early wickets. Many Indian fans wished for Kohli’s 49th ODI century to materialize during this game but it wasn’t meant to be.

Kohli did not have a great outing with the bat today as he fell for a 9-ball duck at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. He failed to execute a lofted shot off the bowling of David Willey which brought about his downfall. In the process, Kohli also earned an unwanted record for the most ducks by an Indian in International Cricket.

Here, we look at all the 5 players who feature on this list:

5. Sourav Ganguly (29)

Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India, was a stylish batsman whose batting made fans stand up and applaud. Like all the other batsmen on this list, Ganguly represented India for a long time, which is why he finds himself on this list. He has scored 29 ducks, which is the fifth most on this list. Ganguly has scored 18575 runs in international cricket, having played in 424 matches.

4. Rohit Sharma (30)

Rohit Sharma is India’s all-format captain and one of the most prolific batsmen in the world. He is known for his aggressive style of play and his ability to hit big sixes. However, this aggressive style also makes him susceptible to getting out for ducks. Sharma has been dismissed for zero 30 times in international cricket. Despite his ducks, Sharma has scored over 18,000 runs in international cricket. He has also been the leader of the national side for a while now and at the moment, his energies are invested in taking India to glory in the ongoing ODI World Cup.

3. Virender Sehwag (31)

Virender Sehwag, also known as the Nawab of Najafgarh, was a fearless batsman who played for India 374 times and scored 17253 runs. He was known for going after the bowlers from the get-go. His high-risk game meant that he was dismissed for zero 31 times in his international career. While Sehwag’s ducks may seem like a negative, they are actually a testament to his greatness as a batsman. Sehwag was not afraid to take risks, and he was always looking to score runs quickly. This aggressive style of play made him one of the most exciting batsmen to watch in the world.

2. Sachin Tendulkar (34)

Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time. He holds numerous records, including the most runs scored in Test and ODI cricket, and the most centuries scored in both formats. He has a stunning aggregate of 34357 runs in international cricket and has scored 100 tons for India. While Tendulkar’s greatness is undeniable, it is to be noted that he has been dismissed for a duck on 34 occasions in international cricket. It is important to remember that Tendulkar played 664 internationals and hence, the number of ducks is actually quite less.

1. Virat Kohli (34)

Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen of all time, but even he has not been immune to the dreaded duck. In his long and illustrious career, Kohli has been dismissed for zero 34 times in international cricket. This is the joint-most ducks by any Indian player, by any player in the history of the game, alongside Sachin Tendulkar. While Kohli’s 34 ducks are a significant number, it is important to note that he has also scored 26121 runs at the highest level with the help of 78 centuries. In ODIs, he needs just two more centuries to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most tons by a player in ODIs. He has been in prolific form in the ongoing World Cup and if he can carry on in the same manner, the record could be broken during this tournament itself.