Manchester, England – The Indian cricket team’s strange and statistically unlikely streak of losing coin tosses has persisted, as they have now lost 14 straight men’s international cricket matches since January. The streak was extended on Wednesday at Old Trafford, as Shubman Gill, captaining India for the fourth time in the ongoing Test series against England, once again called incorrectly, prompting widespread discussion and disbelief among fans and experts alike.
The last time an Indian men’s captain won a toss in an international game was in January 2025, when Suryakumar Yadav led the team in a T20I match against England at Rajkot. Since then, the coin has always landed against India, during the rest of the T20I series, a three-match ODI series that followed, and even during their successful Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai, where Rohit Sharma lost the toss in every game. Shubman Gill has now taken on this strange “toss curse,” losing all four tosses in the current Test series against England.
A Statistical Anomaly: 1 in 16,384 Odds
Statistical analysis of cricket shows how unlikely this streak is. Sky Cricket and other statistics sources say that the chances of losing 14 coin tosses in a row are an amazing 1 in 16,384. This event has gone viral on social media, with supporters showing a mix of anger, laughter, and real confusion about India’s record string of bad luck at the flip. To put things in perspective, this many toss losses is less likely than making a hole-in-one in golf or having twins naturally.
Gill’s Response and India’s Beginning
Shubman Gill stayed calm even though the throw streak was getting worse and the fourth Test was very important. He said it was a “good toss to lose” for him, which was surprising because he said he was “confused” about what India’s plan would have been if he had won the toss.
“The way we’ve played in the last three Tests has been outstanding. Some crunch moments we’ve lost, but we’ve won more sessions than them. You need a bit of a break. Gill said, “All three Tests were intense,” after England captain Ben Stokes chose to bowl first in Manchester, where the skies were cloudy. India has also had trouble in Manchester, where they have never won a Test match.
Despite losing the toss and being put in to bat, India made a strong start to the crucial match. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul displayed resilience and skill, stitching together an unbeaten 78-run stand in the opening session, providing a much-needed foundation under challenging conditions. Later in the day, Jaiswal went on to score 58 and Rahul 46, contributing to India’s initial strong performance.
England currently holds a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, having secured a narrow 22-run victory in the heated third Test at Lord’s. This fourth Test at Old Trafford is a must-win for India to keep their hopes alive of leveling or winning the series.