India registered an unwanted record on Friday after the Men in Blue lost the trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and stand-in-captain Shreyas Iyer at the Bay Oval in the fourth ODI against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui to become the fifth team to lose first three wickets without a run on board in the 50-over format.
Chasing 333 all out, Rohit was the first to go on the very first delivery in the chase off Matt Henry. and fell in the final two balls of the over as India were reduced to 0/3 in the first over. It was India’s first such instance in the 50-over cricket.
Pakistan were the first team to lose first three wickets without a run on the board in ODIs, against New Zealand during the 1983 World Cup at Edgbaston. Pakistan achieved the same again in 1997 against South Africa in Lahore. Bangladesh and Australia also achieved the feat – against Sri Lanka in 2003 World Cup and Bangladesh in 2026 respectively.
Two of stalwarts in Indian cricket, it was the first time since 2010 Rohit and Virat scored registered ducks in the same ODI. The only instance the two had got out for zeroes in a 50-over game for India was in 2010 in Dambulla against Sri Lanka. It was the same game where was denied a hundred after hitting a six off a no-ball from Suraj Randiv on 99.
was the fourth Indian batter to walk back to the pavilion for just five runs, with India reeling a 9/4 in 5.3 overs. It was the second time that India have lost their first four wickets for under 10 runs in an ODI.
India were reduced to an identical 9/4 in the famous 1983 World Cup game against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. Post that, then Indian captain Kapil Dev played a legendary 175 not out, leading India to a famous win.
With a first-ball duck, Rohit also etched his name in an unwanted list of Indian batters who were dismissed on the very first delivery of an ODI innings. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag were dismissed on the very first ball of an innings thrice each.
Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kris Srikkanth and Manoj Prabhakar are also on the list – once each. This was Rohit’s second duck in the series, after the former Indian captain went back without scoring in the first game. Earlier, New Zealand rode on Will Young’s 125 to put 333 in 50 overs.
India’s situation in the chase also brought back 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal memories when India lost its first three batters with each registering one run. Chasing 241 in Manchester, India were left struggling at 5/3 with Henry taking two of the three wickets that day.
Rohit, KL Rahul and Virat were dismissed for one run each as India lost the match by 18 runs and made a heartbreaking exit in the final four stage. Rohit and Virat already hold poor records against , with Rohit scoring just 57 off 71 balls against the pacer, dismissed thrice.
Matt Henry.
He averages only 19 and strikes at 80.28. Virat has scored 59 in 60 balls against Henry, dismissed thrice and striking at 98.33 against him.
