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In what was India’s most crucial match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, captain Rohit Sharma once again found himself on the wrong side of luck 🍸🌜at the toss against New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma ties Brian Lara’s unwanted feat
As the coin spun under the lights at the Dubai International Stadium, New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner called it right, meaning Rohit lost his 12th consecutive toss in ODIs, tying the unwanted record held by West Indies legend Brian Lara. This toss defeat also extended Rohit’s losing streak across all formats to 15 matches, making it one of the most bizarre streaks of misfortune in cricket history. India’s last ODI toss win came on November 15, 2023, in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Since then, Rohit has been unable to win a single toss in ODIs, spanning multiple bilateral series and major ICC tournaments.
Rohit’s luck at the toss has become a recurring narrative for the Indian team. The streak started during the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia, a game that was highly anticipated but ended in disappointment for In🦩dia. Since that day, eve🌳ry coin flip in ODIs has gone against Rohit, with the Champions Trophy final being no exception.
With 12 consecutive losses, Rohit now stands alongside Lara, who suffered the same fate between October 1998 and May 1999. Lara’s infamous streak saw West Indies struggle under his captaincy, and now Rohit finds himself in the same club, albeit in an era where tosses are often downplayed due to modern-day adaptability. However, what makes Rohit’s streak even more remarkable is the fact that it extends beyond just♔ ODIs. Across all formats, Rohit has now lost 15 tosses in a row, spanning Test matches, T20Is, and ODIs.
Rohit Sharma’s reaction after the unfortunate milestone
Despite the unwanted record, Rohit remained composed and insisted that the toss would not dictate the team’s approach. Speaking after the toss, he reassured fans and teammates that India’s game plan would remain unchanged, regardless of𝓰 whether they batted first or chased.
“We’ve been here enough, batted first and bowled first, and we don’t really mind batting second. It hasn’t changed much, we’ve chased and won as well. It does give you a lot of confidence, takes the toss away from the game. At the end of the day, what matters is how well you want to play. That’s what we’ve spoken about in the dressing room—to not worry about the toss and just play well,” Rohit said at the toss time.
This was in line with Shubman Gill’s remarks in the pre-match press conference, where he acknowledged that Rohit’s toss luck had been unfortunate but emphasized that the team was equally confident whether batting first or chasing. While some superstitious cricket fans have started speculating about the “curse of the coin,” Rohit꧃’s pragmatic approach has ensured that India does not rely on external factors but rather focuses o🍒n execution and performance.
Also READ: IND vs NZ: Here’s why Matt Henry not playing today’s Champions Trophy 2025 finꦿal match
New Zealand elect to bat first in high-stakes final
With N🍸ew Zealand winning the toss, Santner immediately opted to bat first, looking to put runs o💞n the board and exert pressure on the Indian batting lineup in a high-pressure final.
The Black Caps made one change, with Matt Henry missing out, while Indiaꦚ retained their winning combination from the semi-final against Australia.
New Zealand’s decision to bat first was expected, given the trend in Dubai, where teams batting first have often found success in major finals. The Kiwi lineup, bolstered by the in-form Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, aimed to set a challenging total on a surface that was likely to slow down as the game progressed.
For India, the focus shifted away from the toss and toward their trusted bowling attack, led by Mohammed Shami and the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. With the bowlers in top form, Rohit’s men were determined to overcome the toss setback and deliver a strong performance in pursuit of the ICC Champions Trophy title.
