Sports Desk: Vizag Verdict: Will India’s Toss Curse End Here?
A Streak That Defies Odds
Formats shift, venues swap, calendars flip, and captains come and go, yet Team India‘s toss woes stand firm like an unyielding fortress. Since that fateful 2023 World Cup final against Australia on November 19, the Men in Blue have dropped 20 straight ODI tosses, eclipsing the Netherlands’ old mark of 11 from 2011-2013. It’s a run so improbable, statisticians peg the odds at one in a million, turning a simple coin flip into cricket’s quirkiest saga.
Captains Caught in the Crossfire
Rohit Sharma shoulders the heaviest load with 12 losses, his calls gone awry from the World Cup knockouts through bilateral battles. KL Rahul follows with five, including the trio during South Africa’s tour earlier this year, where even leading in his first stint couldn’t break the hex. Shubman Gill, the fresh face, added three more down under against Australia, proving the jinx jumps guardians without mercy.
Echoes from the Proteas Tour
Flashback to December 2023: India touched down in South Africa for a full slate of T20s, ODIs, and Tests, only for Rohit to sit out the white-ball leg with injury. Rahul stepped up, but the coin betrayed him thrice in those ODIs. Rohit returned for the Tests, yet the streak held, a stubborn thread weaving through formats and foes alike.
Gill’s Grip and Rahul’s Return
Fast-forward to Australia’s shores this year, where new skipper Shubman Gill helmed three ODIs, each toss slipping away like sand through fingers. Gill’s injury in the second Test against South Africa handed reins back to Rahul, who promptly lost two more in Ranchi and Raipur. Now, with the series locked 1-1, all eyes lock on Visakhapatnam’s dew-kissed pitch, where the toss could tip the scales in this decider.
The 21st Looms Large
December 6 dawns with the third ODI at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, toss at 1:00 PM IST. A win here snaps the chain, letting India breathe easy under clear skies and potential evening moisture. Lose it, and 21 becomes the new unwanted pinnacle, extending a two-year torment into 2026’s New Zealand series. Fans whisper of curses; players shrug it off as chance, but deep down, that flip carries the weight of redemption.