Rohit Sharma equals Brian Lara’s unwanted ODI record
India captain Rohit Sharma has matched an unwanted record previously held solely by West Indies legend Brian Lara—losing 12 consecutive tosses in One Day Internationals (ODIs). This streak, which began in November 2023, extended until March 2025, culminating in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai. Lara had set this record between October 1998 and May 1999.
India’s struggles with the coin flip extend further, as the team has now lost 15 consecutive tosses in ODIs, with 12 of them under Rohit’s leadership. This surpasses the previous struggles of former Netherlands captain Peter Borren, who lost 11 consecutive tosses between March 2011 and August 2013. Despite this streak of bad luck, Rohit and his team have continued to perform well in crucial matches.
In the Champions Trophy final, New Zealand’s stand-in captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first. The Black Caps made a forced change, with pacer Nathan Smith replacing Matt Henry, who suffered a shoulder injury during their semi-final win over South Africa.
India and New Zealand had already faced each other in the group stage, where India secured a 44-run victory. Now, they meet again in a high-stakes battle to determine the winner of the eight-nation tournament, hosted across Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. New Zealand previously lifted the Champions Trophy in 2000, defeating India in the final held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Over the years, India-New Zealand encounters have been defined by key battles—whether it’s Virat Kohli’s masterclass in a chase, crucial supporting knocks from KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, or Kiwi pacers like Matt Henry and Trent Boult ripping through India’s top order. More recently, both teams have relied on their spinners to dictate terms. The final promises to follow a similar script, with multiple subplots shaping its outcome.
(With inputs from agencies)
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