India registers unwanted record after Rohit, Kishan, Iyer score ducks in World Cup 2023 match vs Australia

Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer fell for ducks inside two overs of India’s chase of 200 as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood tormented the Indian batters with the new ball.

Rohit Sharma of India leaves the field after being caught behind off of the bowling of Josh Hazlewood. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

India registered an unenviable record during its ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign opener against Australia at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.

Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer fell for ducks inside two overs of India’s chase of 200 as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood tormented the Indian batters with the new ball.

This was the first time three of India’s top four batters registered ducks in an ODI innings.

Kishan, opening the batting due to the absence of Shubman Gill, was gone for a golden duck off the fourth ball of India’s innings as he got an outside edge that was caught in the slip cordon off the bowling of Starc.

Skipper Rohit followed suit with a six-ball duck in the next over as Hazlewood nipped the ball into the skipper and trapped him leg-before. Hazlewood struck again in the same over when Iyer drove a length ball straight to David Warner at short cover.

India was left reeling at two for three after two overs.

The sequence of events brought back memories of India’s last ODI World Cup match - the 2019 semifinal against New Zealand - when the Men in Blue were reduced to five for three after Matt Henry and Trent Boult wreaked havoc with the new ball.

The top three batters registered identical scores of 1 in that game as India went on to lose the semifinal by 18 runs and prolonged its ICC title drought.