Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav would want to forget this three-match ODI series against Australia as soon as possible as he earned an unwanted record after his dismissal in the third and final ODI which was played in Chennai on March 22, 2023.
India had won the first ODI in Mumbai and Suryakumar Yadav had gotten out LBW to Mitchell Starc for a first-ball duck. Then Mitchell Starc routed India in the second ODI in Vishakhapatnam picking 5/53 and Suryakumar Yadav was again out LBW by Starc for a first-ball duck as India was bowled out for 117.
Much was expected from Suryakumar Yadav in the third and final match in Chennai as the pitch in Chepauk is conducive to slow bowlers instead of pacers.
Australia batted first and posted 269 with Mitchell Marsh's 49 being the highest score, but valuable contributions from the lower order in Sean Abbott (26), Ashton Agar (17), and Marcus Stoinis (25).
In reply, Australian captain Steve Smith rotated his bowlers well as despite Virat Kohli’s 54, Hardik Pandya’s 40, and Shubman Gill’s 37, India lost wickets at regular intervals, keeping the visitors in the game and as a result, they found themselves in trouble.
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Indian team management even promoted KL Rahul to no.4 and he made 32 in 50 balls, and then Akshar Patel came and was run out for 4 runs. Many expected Surya to come out, but vice-captain Hardik Pandya came.
When Kohli got out for 54, Suryakumar walked in and faced Ashton Agar this time. The left-handed spinner bowled a shortish delivery that was kept low and as Surya tried to clear his front leg and slash it, he was beaten and his stumps were rattled.
This gave him his third consecutive first-ball duck and he became the first Indian batter to be dismissed for first-ball ducks in all matches of an ODI series.
Suryakumar is the sixth Indian batter to register three consecutive ducks in ODIs. Sachin Tendulkar (1994), Anil Kumble (1996), Zaheer Khan (2003-04), Ishant Sharma (2010-11), Jasprit Bumrah (2017-2019) are others.
The world record for most successive ducks in ODIs is 4, which is held by Lasith Malinga, Craig White, and Henry Olonga and two more batters.
Meanwhile, India was bowled out for 248 runs and lost the third ODI by 21 runs to Australia and handing them the series 1-2. With this win, Australia also became the no.1 ranked ODI side in the world.