India have created one of the most surprising records in international cricket history — losing 20 tosses in a row, both across all formats and specifically in ODI cricket.
The latest addition to this streak came on December 3, 2025, when South Africa won the toss in the 2nd ODI at Raipur, extending India’s ODI toss-loss streak to 20 matches.
This extraordinary run began in November 2023 and has continued through multiple captains, multiple series, and all three formats of the game.
Despite the bad luck at the toss, India have still won key matches — proving that cricket is played on the field, not in the coin flip.
Latest Update: 2nd ODI Toss (Dec 3, 2025)
- South Africa opted to bowl first.
- This means India lost the toss again.
- With this, India’s ODI streak reaches 20, and the overall streak also stands at 20.
India did win one toss during the Test series, which stopped the all-format streak temporarily, but the continuous 20 ODI losses remain untouched, forming the longest uninterrupted sequence.
How the Toss-Loss Streak Started
The streak began when India lost the toss in the 2023 World Cup Final on 19 November 2023.
From there, the unusual trend only grew:
- Lost consecutive tosses in ODIs
- Lost tosses in crucial Test series
- Lost tosses in T20I series against England and Australia
- Continued the run into the South Africa tour of India in late 2025
Across all the phases, the ODI streak remained unbroken, rising to 20 consecutive losses — a world record.
Most Consecutive Toss Losses in ODIs – Updated to Dec 2025
| Rank | Team | Consecutive ODI Tosses Lost | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 20 (ongoing) | Nov 2023 – Dec 2025 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 11 | 2011 – 2013 |
| 3 | England | 9 | 2023 |
| 3 | USA | 9 | 2022 |
India’s tally is now almost double the previous world record.
When it comes to losing the toss, India is the 'Picasso' of it 😆
— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) December 3, 2025
– Team India 🇮🇳 have now lost 20 consecutive tosses in ODIs 🤯
– The probability of this happening is 1 in 1,048,576 or 0.00095367%
– What's your take 🤔 pic.twitter.com/zoP6pPHGVR
Most Consecutive Toss Losses Across All Formats
| Rank | Team | Consecutive Tosses Lost | Duration | Captains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 20 | Nov 2023 – Oct 2025 | Rohit, Surya, Gill |
| 2 | West Indies | 12 | 1999 | Lara, Adams, Hooper |
| 3 | England | 11 | 2022–2023 | Buttler, Stokes |
| 4 | Netherlands | 11 | 2011–2013 | Borren |
| 5 | New Zealand | 10 | 1972–73 | Congdon |
Even though India broke the streak mid-Test series, their 20-loss run remains the longest uninterrupted toss-loss run in cricket history.
Read more: Most Consecutive Toss Losses in International Cricket History
Captains Involved in India’s Toss-Loss Record (in All Formats)
| Captain | Tosses Lost in Streak | Formats | Time Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 9 | ODIs & T20Is | Nov 2023 – Mar 2025 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 5 | T20Is | Jan – Oct 2025 |
| Shubman Gill | 6 | Tests & ODIs | Jul – Dec 2025 |
The streak passed from captain to captain — but none managed to reverse it.
Rohit Sharma: Most Consecutive ODI Toss Losses by a Captain
| Rank | Captain | ODI Tosses Lost | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma (IND) | 15 | Nov 2023 | Mar 2025 |
| 2 | Brian Lara (WI) | 12 | 1998 | 1999 |
| 3 | Peter Borren (NED) | 11 | 2011 | 2013 |
| 4 | Jos Buttler (ENG) | 9 | 2023 | 2023 |
| 5 | Monank Patel (USA) | 9 | 2022 | 2022 |
Rohit’s name now stands at the top of this rare list.
India’s Toss-Loss Streak: Timeline Overview
Key Milestones
- 13 losses by July 2025 (England Tests)
- 15 losses by July 31, 2025 (Oval Test)
- 19 losses by Dec 1, 2025 (1st ODI vs South Africa)
- 20 losses after 2nd ODI toss (Dec 3, 2025) — latest update
Why This Streak Is So Rare
A coin toss has two outcomes — a 50% chance each.
Probability of losing 20 tosses in a row:
1 in 1,048,576 = (0.000095%)
ODIs (South Africa Tour of India 2025)
| Match | Toss Result | Match Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI, Ranchi | Lost | India won by 17 runs |
| 2nd ODI, Raipur | Lost | Match ongoing |
| 3rd ODI, Vizag | TBD | Dec 6 |
Conclusion
India’s streak of 20 consecutive toss losses in ODIs — and 20 across formats — is now one of cricket’s most unusual and unforgettable records.
It highlights a mix of:
- Pure bad luck
- Statistical improbability
- And India’s impressive ability to rise above the disadvantage
As India head into the remaining South Africa matches, the biggest question isn’t about runs or wickets anymore —
Will they finally win a toss in ODI? Or will the streak continue into cricket folklore?
