A batsman getting out for zero is often considered a significant embarrassment, and sometimes they even face a streak of consecutive ducks during a difficult phase. In the case of Indian batsman Ajit Agarkar, he endured an extraordinary sequence of seven ducks against a single team. Despite Australia's formidable bowling attack during that period, Agarkar's repeated failures cannot be justified. It is worth noting that he holds the record for the fastest half-century in ODIs for India, a record that remains unbroken to this day.
Embarrassing record
The streak of ducks began during India's tour of Australia in 1999–2000, with Agarkar getting out for a duck in the second innings at Adelaide. The humiliation intensified when he suffered back-to-back ducks in both innings at Melbourne. The pattern continued as he faced a golden duck at the Sydney Cricket Ground, followed by another duck at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he defended the first ball but succumbed to the next.
However, Agarkar managed to break the streak by scoring a single in the next match, which he celebrated by lifting his bat. The Australian players mocked him for this gesture, both during and after the game. Unfortunately for Agarkar, his horror continued when Australia toured India in 2000-01, as he recorded ducks in both innings at his home ground, Wankhede.
Rising beyond unwanted record
While this streak of ducks is a record no batsman desires, it should not overshadow Ajit Agarkar's accomplishments as India's bowling all-rounder. He is the second-fastest player, after Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis, to reach 50 wickets in ODIs. Agarkar has an impressive tally of 288 ODI wickets to his name. Furthermore, despite the seven ducks, he achieved the remarkable feat of scoring a century in Test matches, notably at Lord's, which is considered a prestigious achievement in cricket.
