11 toss losses in a row-will Rohit's luck change in IND vs NZ final?

India captain Rohit Sharma has now lost 11 tosses in a row, just one step away from equalling the unwanted record of 12, held by West Indies legend Brian Lara

A coin flip—a mere moment of chance—can shape the destiny of a match. But when it precedes a final, it carries the weight of fortune and strategy, potentially tilting the game’s balance before the first ball is bowled.

 

As Rohit Sharma strides out for the toss at 2 PM IST today, ahead of India’s ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium, he will stand at the edge of an ominous milestone—one that no captain wishes to claim.

 

India’s leader has now lost 11 tosses in a row, just one step away from equalling the unwanted record of 12, held by West Indies legend Brian Lara between October 1998 and May 1999. A single wrong call today, and Rohit will etch his name into a dubious chapter of cricketing history.

 

A streak of misfortune

  The curse began under the harshest spotlight—the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. That night, where India’s dream campaign ended in heartbreak, also marked the start of Rohit’s torrid run at the toss.

 

Since then, fate has refused to favour him. In ODIs where Rohit was absent, KL Rahul took charge, only to suffer the same fate, losing three out of three tosses during India’s ODI series against South Africa. It seemed the misfortune had embedded itself within the team. 

 

And then came March 2025—the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Facing Australia once again, Steve Smith called correctly, condemning Rohit to his 11th consecutive loss at the toss.

 

Now, as he stands before the coin once more, the moment will be laced with both tension and irony. Will fortune finally smile upon him? Or will the cruel pattern extend into the final, pushing him into cricket’s unwanted history books?

 

Most consecutive tosses lost by a captain in ODIs:

• 12 – Brian Lara (West Indies, October 1998 – May 1999)
• 11 – Peter Borren (Netherlands, March 2011 – August 2013)
• 11* – Rohit Sharma (India, November 2023 – March 2025)

The flip of a coin will decide not just possession of the first ball but whether Rohit Sharma finally escapes his streak of despair—or becomes its most infamous victim.