Every cricketer dreams of playing for the country and helping his side win, but no one thinks about getting out on zero (duck). Sometimes, one bad shot, the team's need to score quick runs or a non-striker's mistake can result in the dismissal of the batter. Hence, a batter getting out on a zero is a commonly seen phenomenon in cricket, but some batters remain the exception to the norm and never get out on a duck at least in one format.
A total of 256 cricketers have represented India in ODI cricket since India started to play ODI cricket in 1974. However, there has been only one cricketer who has never got out on a duck and this is India's prolific middle-order batter and 1983 ODI World Cup-winning team member Yashpal Sharma.
Yashpal Sharma, known for his solid middle-order presence in the Indian ODI setup from 1978 to 1985, played 42 matches and remained a dependable player, never registering a duck. Over 40 innings, he accumulated 883 runs at an average of 28.48, with a strike rate of 63.02. His ability to play cautiously yet effectively is highlighted by his tally of 52 boundaries and 10 sixes. Yashpal's knack for building innings made him a reliable asset for India during that era.
Apart from Yashpal Sharma, Brijesh Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Irfan Pathan are other batters who have showcased consistently in contributing with the bat across different formats without ever getting out for a duck in their respective international careers.
In Test cricket, former India batter Brijesh Patel displayed a similar resilience. Playing 21 Tests between 1974 and 1977, Patel scored 972 runs at an average of 29.45. His career-best score of unbeaten 115 reflects his potential to deliver big knocks under pressure and holds the record for not getting out on a zero across 38 innings he played in the longest format,
In the T20I format, Ravichandran Ashwin and Irfan Pathan are the only players who never scored a duck despite being lower-order batters, where most of the time they have to go for big shots. Ashwin, in 65 T20I matches, batted 19 times and remained not out in 12 of those innings, showing his ability to contribute valuable runs when needed. Similarly, Irfan Pathan’s 24 matches between 2006 and 2012 saw him accumulate 172 runs in 14 innings without a duck, adding depth to India's batting lineup.
