NEW DELHI: India’s streak of bad luck at the toss continued on Sunday as they lost their 13th consecutive coin flip in ODIs.
Facing New Zealand in their final Group A match of the Champions Trophy, India once again found themselves at the mercy of the opposition’s decision.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bowl first, further extending India’s frustrating record.
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The last time India won an ODI toss dates back to the 2023 Wankhede semifinal. Since then, Rohit has lost 10 tosses, while KL Rahul has had no luck with the coin three times, making this prolonged streak a talking point among fans and analysts alike.
The statistical probability of losing 13 consecutive tosses stands at a minuscule 0.0122%, as highlighted by countless posts across social media platforms.
The fans couldn’t hide their reactions, lamenting India’s poor luck and jokingly speculating if the team needs a change in coin-flipping strategy.
Memes and humor flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with some suggesting captain Rohit Sharma should find his luck for the knock-out stages of the tournament, while others devoured the bitterness of the situation with a pinch of laughter.
Despite the toss setback, India made a strategic change to their lineup, resting Harshit Rana and bringing in spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Meanwhile, New Zealand also made a single change, with Daryl Mitchell replacing Devon Conway.
While losing the toss does not directly impact performance on the field, it does influence game plans, especially in conditions where batting or bowling first provides a significant advantage.
Teams:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke.
