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India doomed by toss curse: When was the last time Men In Blue won a coin-flip contest in ODIs?

Akshita Patel

India's toss curse in ODIs [Source: AFP Photos]India's toss curse in ODIs [Source: AFP Photos]

Team India’s struggle with the toss in the ODI format has reached almost unbelievable proportions. In the third game against Australia, India lost yet again, marking their 18th consecutive ODI toss defeat.

The toss has not always determined India’s fortunes, but it can set the tone for the match. For example, in Adelaide, losing the toss meant India had to come in to bat first, and it put pressure against a dominant Australian bowling unit.

India last won a toss in the 2023 ODI World Cup

Over the last two years, India’s toss record has been a mix of highs and lows. The loss at Sydney Cricket Ground marked the team’s 18th straight toss defeat in the ODI format, the highest among any team.

Most consecutive ODI tosses lost by a team

  • 18 - India (2023–2025)
  • 11 - Netherlands (2011–2013)
  • 9 - England (2023)
  • 9 - USA (2022)
  • 9 - England (2017)
  • 9 - West Indies (2011–2012)
  • 9 - Australia (1998–1999)

Interestingly, the last time India won a toss in ODIs was almost two years ago, during the semi-final clash against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup.

This bizarre run spans 710 days, through three different captains, such as Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and the current skipper, Shubman Gill.

Shubman, who has taken over as the Indian captain, has lost 10 of his 11 tosses so far.

Despite being a seemingly 50-50 chance, India’s luck with the coin flip seems to have completely deserted them.

Statistically, the chance of losing 18 tosses in a row is just 0.000763 per cent, making this streak almost unheard of in cricket history.

The toss has hurt India deeply in the past. They suffered a heartbreaking World Cup final defeat and a series loss to Sri Lanka.

But on the flip side, the men in blue also enjoyed successes, including unbeaten Champions Trophy campaign and series wins in South Africa with a second-string ODI squad.

Overall, fans and analysts have started calling this the “toss curse”, and with no clear way to change it, it adds an unusual twist to India’s ODI campaigns.

While it doesn’t guarantee defeat, losing the toss repeatedly can put extra pressure on the team, forcing them to chase difficult totals or bat under tough conditions.