The game of cricket may depend on skill, but sometimes luck—or the lack of it—can steal the spotlight. That’s exactly what has happened with Team India’s shocking streak of losing tosses in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
During the third ODI against Australia in Sydney on October 25, 2025, captain Shubman Gill once again called it wrong at the toss, marking India’s 18th consecutive toss loss in ODIs — a record that no team would ever want to hold.
A One-in-262,144 Chance!
The odds of losing a coin toss once are 50-50. But losing 18 in a row? Statistically, that’s a 1 in 262,144 probability — just 0.00038%. It’s a freakish run of bad luck that started way back in November 2023, when India last won an ODI toss during the World Cup.
Even before Gill took over as captain, Rohit Sharma had endured a streak of 15 consecutive toss losses, including the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand. Together, they’ve extended India’s record far beyond any other team in ODI history.
Most Consecutive Toss Losses in ODI Cricket
| Rank | Team | Tosses Lost | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 18* | 19 Nov 2023 | 25 Oct 2025 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 11 | 18 Mar 2011 | 27 Aug 2013 |
| 3 | England | 9 | 27 Jan 2023 | 13 Sep 2023 |
| 4 | USA | 9 | 29 May 2022 | 13 Aug 2022 |
| 5 | England | 9 | 22 Jan 2017 | 29 May 2017 |
Captains with the Most Consecutive Toss Losses
| Rank | Captain | Tosses Lost | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma (IND) | 15 | 19 Nov 2023 | 9 Mar 2025 |
| 2 | Brian Lara (WI) | 12 | 31 Oct 1998 | 21 May 1999 |
| 3 | Peter Borren (NED) | 11 | 18 Mar 2011 | 27 Aug 2013 |
| 4 | Jos Buttler (ENG) | 9 | 27 Jan 2023 | 13 Sep 2023 |
| 5 | Monank Patel (USA) | 9 | 29 May 2022 | 13 Aug 2022 |
What Gill Said After Losing His 3rd Toss in a Row
Despite the ongoing streak, Shubman Gill stayed calm after losing yet another toss to Mitchell Marsh in Sydney.
“We would have bowled first anyway. We got what we wanted. It’s about taking our chances and executing our plans,” said Gill before the match.
The toss might not decide matches, but losing 18 in a row has definitely become a curious cricketing headline — one that shows how unpredictable this game can be, even before the first ball is bowled.
