Indian fast bowler
By failing to trouble the scorers, Thakur became the 18th Indian cricketer to be dismissed for a duck on their
A historic list of debut ducks
The list of Indian players dismissed without scoring on their ODI debut spans several decades, beginning with former captain Bishan Singh Bedi in 1974. Since then, the roster has grown to include several prominent figures who went on to have distinguished international careers. Alongside Tendulkar, who debuted in 1989, and Dhoni, who made his first ODI appearance in 2004, the list features players such as VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Roger Binny.
Thakur’s debut occurred during a high-stakes series finale. India entered the match looking to recover from a heavy 244-run defeat in the fourth ODI. Batting first, the visitors faced early pressure as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ruturaj Gaikwad fell quickly, leaving the side at 34/3. Despite a 52-run partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel, the team struggled to build momentum. Axar and Ishan Kishan each contributed 46 runs, while Naman Dhir added 22, as India was eventually bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs.
Bowling recovery secures series victory
While the batting lineup faced difficulties, the Indian bowlers delivered a strong performance to defend the modest total. Mohammad Siraj and Arshdeep Singh provided early breakthroughs, with Arshdeep finishing with figures of 3/30 and Siraj claiming 2/50. Thakur also contributed to the defensive effort by taking the catch to dismiss New Zealand opener Tim Seifert.
New Zealand was ultimately bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs, handing India a 22-run victory. This result secured a 3-1 series triumph for the visitors, effectively ending New Zealand’s streak of 11 consecutive home ODI series victories. The win concluded a successful white-ball tour for India, following their 3-2 victory in the preceding five-match T20I series.
