Toss curse broken: India finally wins an ODI coin toss after 20 straight losses

India ended a bizarre run of 20 successive ODI toss defeats when KL Rahul won the toss in the third ODI against South Africa at Vizag, a series-decider with the scoreline tied 1-1. The streak, which began after the 2023 World Cup final, was the longest recorded in ODI cricket.

Reports noted the sequence had grown into a statistical outlier, cutting across captains and venues, before Rahul’s call broke the pattern and set India up to field first in pivotal conditions at the ACA-VDCA Stadium.

Key highlights

- Historic streak: India had lost 20 ODI tosses in a row, the longest such run recorded in ODIs.
- Decider context: The third ODI in Visakhapatnam is a series decider against South Africa with the score 1-1.
- Rahul’s call: KL Rahul won the toss and opted to bowl first, ending the “toss curse” dating back to 2023.
- Cross-series span: The streak stretched across multiple series and events since the 2023 World Cup final.

Sources: Business Standard, ABP Live, Firstpost