On Sunday, January 18, in the third one-day international of the three-match series, veteran batsman Virat Kohli hit a fighting century against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. After the Men in Blue were set to chase a massive mark of 338, the 37-year-old anchored the innings, scoring 124 off 108 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes.
Team India had a bad start in the chase, losing Rohit Sharma for 11 and skipper Shubman Gill for 23. Shreyas Iyer (3) and KL Rahul (1) both fell cheaply, leaving the hosts in grave difficulty at 71-4 in the thirteenth over. Kohli received support from the lower order, adding 88 for the fifth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (53 off 57) and 99 for the seventh wicket with Harshit Rana (52 off 43).
Kohli’s valiant attempt, however, was in vain, as he was the ninth man out with the score at 292. India were all out for 296 in 46 overs, losing by 41 runs. Following the Indore outcome, we look at the three hitters who have scored the most hundreds in Team India’s ODI losses.
3. Rohit Sharma (7)
Ex-captain Rohit Sharma has featured in 282 one-day games wherein he scored 11,577 runs at an average of 48.84 and a strike rate of 92.74, including up to 33 hundreds and 61 half-centuries. Seven of his ODI centuries have come in losses.
He also blasted a stunning 171* off 163 balls against Australia at the WACA, Perth in January 2016. The blitz had 13 boundaries and seven sixes as the Men in Blue put 309-3 on the board after being asked to bat first. But Australia achieved the target with 44 balls remaining after Steve Smith, unbeaten on 149 off just 135 deliveries, and George Bailey (112 off 120) plundered runs.
Rohit’s 150 from 133 balls in the Kanpur ODI against South Africa in October 2015 was also futile. The game saw Proteas batting first and posting 303-5 on the board, thanks to an unbeaten 104 from AB de Villiers off 73 balls. Rohit smashed 13 fours and six sixes in his run-chase before he chipped a return catch to Imran Tahir. Team India ultimately lost the game by five runs as they were restricted to 298-7.
2. Virat Kohli (9)
Kohli has represented and captained India in 311 ODIs, where he accumulated 14,797 runs at an average of 58.71 and strike rate nearly 93.82 with the help of 54 hundreds and 77 half-centuries to his name. Of Kohli’s 54 ODI centuries, nine have been in unsuccessful chases.
Virat Kohli hit a superb 123 from 95 balls against Australia in Ranchi in March, 2019. The knock was studded with 16 fours and a six. Batting first, the Aussies scored 313-5 as Usman Khawaja scored 104 from 113 balls. In pursuit, India fell to 3-27 before the end of the seventh over. Kohli played some sparkling strokes to keep India alive. But he was bowled around his legs by a googly from Adam Zampa. India were dismissed for 281.
Kohli’s superb 123 off 111 against New Zealand in Napier in January 2014 also came in a losing cause. New Zealand batted first in that ODI and posted 292-7. In India’s chase, Kohli scored 11 fours and two sixes while nobody else could get going. He was out in the most mundane way, caught off a full toss from Mitchell McCLenagahan. India were all out for 268 in the chase in 48.4 overs.
3. Sachin Tendulkar (14)
“The Little Master” represented Team India in 463 ODIs and scored 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, with a strike rate of 86.23, including 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries. 14 of his 49 hundreds came in a lost cause.
That was Tendulkar’s 175 off 141 balls against Australia in Hyderabad during November 2009. He hit 19 boundaries and four maximums during his resilient 210-minute stay at the crease, and almost engineered a sensational victory for the Men in Blue. India were 162-4 as they chased 351 in the 24th over. Tendulkar and Suresh Raina (59) put on 137 for the fifth wicket. But Tendulkar was dismissed in the 48th over and India were defeated by three runs
Tendulkar’s run-a-ball 137 against Sri Lanka in Delhi during the 1996 World Cup also came in a lost cause. The Master Blaster hit eight fours and five sixes before being run out as India put up 271-3 in their quota of 50 overs. For India, a whirlwind knock by Sanath Jayasuriya (79 off 76) derailed them in the chase and it was job done for Hashan Tillakaratne (70) and Arjuna Ranatunga (46).
