Top Five Players With Most T20I Ducks For India
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during the 2022 T20 World Cup (x.com)
In the dynamic landscape of T20 International cricket, India boasts a formidable batting arsenal, adorned with the brilliance of two of the format’s premier run-scorers in the form of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Within the realm of the illustrious careers of several Indian batting heavyweights, one which is marked by countless boundaries and breathtaking strokes, lies a contrasting narrative – the occasional encounter with the bitter taste of a duck. As cricket enthusiasts revel in the relentless pursuit of runs, the vulnerability of even the most celebrated batsmen surfaces, leaving fans and players alike in a state of dismay when the familiar zero adorns the scoreboard.
Here at OneCricket, we take a look at five Indian batsmen who have encountered the ignominy of T20I ducks the highest number of times in their respective careers.
Most T20I Ducks For Team India:
| Player | Ducks | T20I Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 11 | 149 |
| KL Rahul | 5 | 72 |
| Virat Kohli | 4 | 115 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 4 | 51 |
| Washington Sundar | 4 | 41 |
1. Rohit Sharma - 11 ducks
Rohit Sharma in January 2024 against Afghanistan (BCCI)
Rohit Sharma, T20I cricket’s most capped representative, unfortunately also boasts of a huge unwanted record of having sustained the highest number of scoreless dismissals for his country. So far in his 149-match career, the cricketer failed to open his account 11 times, which is also the third-joint highest among any player in history.
Interestingly, Sharma also has the most T20I tons and the highest number of sixes in the format. Moreover, the dashing opening batsman is second in the list of scoring most T20I runs, further underlying the value he brings for the ‘Men in Blue’.
It is only fitting that the cricketer comes across a rare occasional failure with the bat every now and then, as it adds a touch of unpredictability to his otherwise stellar T20I journey.
2. KL Rahul - 5 ducks
KL Rahul during the 2022 T20 World Cup (x.com)
Much like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul’s T20I batting profile is glittered with astonishing numbers. With over 2,000 runs at a prolific average of 37.75 and with 24 fifty-plus scores to his name, the cricketer is widely regarded as one of the best the format has ever seen.
However, amidst his T20I brilliance, Rahul has often encountered occasional setbacks, accumulating five ducks that have momentarily punctuated his otherwise impressive batting record.
The elegant right-hander made his 20-overs international debut in June 2016, and ended up playing the last of his 72 matches at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Ever since Rahul conjured an unfortunate set of failures at the multi-nation event, which included a series of single-digit scores against England, Pakistan and South Africa; he has not been considered in India’s T20I setup since then, at least not until January 2024.
3. Virat Kohli - 4 ducks
Virat Kohli walking back after a duck in October 2017 (x.com)
Legendary Indian cricketer and T20I’s greatest-ever batsman Virat Kohli holds a stockpile of staggering batting records in the format. Apart from having pulled off some of the most unthinkable run-chases in his prime, the batting stalwart also became the first in T20I history to cross 3,000 and 4,000-run landmarks.
As it turns out, it also took him 47 matches to register the first duck of his career, which happens to be a world record for the longest time taken to do the same.
Kohli sustained the unfortunate dismissal against Australia back in October 2017 at Guwahati, where his early downfall set up a huge Indian defeat at the hands of the visitors. Overall, Kohli has registered four ducks in his 115-match career, and he sits at number three on the unwanted list of Indian batters.
4. Shreyas Iyer - 4 ducks
Shreyas Iyer in October 2023 (AP)
Ever since he made his T20I debut against New Zealand at home in November 2017, Shreyas Iyer has turned up for Team India 51 times in the format until late 2023. Batting in the middle-order, where scoring swift runs is always the need of the hour, the cricketer has slumped to scoreless dismissals four times out of the 47 innings of his T20I career.
Iyer did manage to add eight half-centuries to his profile, which features over 1,000 runs at an impressive average of 30.66. With his penchant of scoring match-winning runs across both white-ball formats, it is pretty much customary for a man in his batting position to cope occasional failures.
5. Washington Sundar - 4 ducks
Washington Sundar during a training session (AP)
A bowling all-rounder by profession, Washington Sundar has proven his mettle with the bat, at least in Tests and ODIs for Team India. However, the cricketer is yet to prove himself with the willow in the game’s most truncated format.
Holding a batting average of just 10.70 after his first 15 innings (from 41 matches), Sundar has fallen for a duck four times already in his career.
Washington Sundar’s T20I journey reflects a discernible challenge, as he grapples with a duck-to-innings ratio that accentuates the ongoing quest for consistent lower-order contributions in T20I cricket.
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