In international cricket, be it a batsman or a bowler, everyone gets out on a duck while batting. Many great batsmen of this game have also been out on a duck during their career, and bowlers are also included in this list of most ducks in international cricket. In fact, it should be remembered that cricketers are not always at their best rhythm. Or it can also be seen that a bowler bowls brilliantly at the beginning of an innings and makes a batsman of the opposing team return to the pavilion empty-handed without scoring a run.
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Top 10 Batsman With Most Ducks in International Cricket

So, there is meagre doubt that the 'duck' episode is often seen in the field of cricket. And when the most ducks in international cricket list is prepared, then the names of many superstar players make the chart along with the bowlers who tend to bat at the bottom. It is often seen that the names of these batsmen are included in the list of many records related to batsmen in international cricket. In this article, we are giving details of the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
The Ranking factors that we have considered
- Number of innings played (test-odi-t20i): Nowadays, cricket is no longer limited to just one particular format. As time passed, the variations of cricket have changed altogether. So, to determine how many times a batsman has been dismissed for duck, one has to keep in mind all the formats of cricket. Only if we can do that, the whole picture emerges. To calculate the most ducks in international cricket, it is mandatory to create a list by looking at the records and status in all formats and decipher the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
- Number of times got dismissed on duck: To create the most ducks in international cricket list, many factors must be taken into account. One of the most important aspects in this context is how many times a batsman has returned to the pavilion on a duck (without scoring a run). The stats, history and records of how many times a player has been dismissed for zero are quite essential in creating this list of most ducks in international cricket.
- Balls faced in international career: In the list of top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket, the number of deliveries or balls a player has faced in international cricket is a big factor in this aspect. There is little to say that a player is often dismissed for ducks several times throughout his career, while the journey of a cricketer is quite topsy-turvy in a true sense. So it is important to keep a tally of the total number of balls that a particular player has faced in his career to determine the most ducks in international cricket.
- Number of times stayed not out: There is no doubt that remaining not out till the end of the innings is a big achievement for any batsman. Staying at the crease till the end after moving up the batting order shows the skill of a batsman. No cricketer on earth likes to be out for a duck, be it a star batsman or a bowler; everyone wants to stay at the crease till the end of the innings. Therefore, staying not out is quite important in making the most ducks in international cricket list.
Batters with Most Ducks in International Cricket List
Zero is depicted as the duck's egg due to its form or appearance. However, the title duck arises from the shape of '0,' which is comparable to that of the duck's egg. In international cricket, every single player hopes to register as many runs as they can and take loads of wickets. But this record of getting out on zero, the most number of times in international cricket, is the dreaded one, and every player wants to avoid being termed in the bracket of top most ducks in international cricket.
Although most of the players in the list of players getting out on zero in international cricket are bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath and Stuart Broad, but one will be dumbfounded to know that this list also includes some great batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene. The most ducks in international cricket by Indian in all formats is Zaheer Khan. Here is the most ducks in international cricket list.
Rank | Player Name | No. of Innings Played (Test+ODI+T20I) | No. of Times Dismissed on Duck | Balls Faced in International Career | No. of Times Stayed Not Out |
1. | Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 328 | 59 | 2,668 | 119 |
2. | Courtney Walsh (WI) | 264 | 54 | 2,539 | 94 |
3. | Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 651 | 53 | 25,910 | 35 |
4. | Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 207 | 49 | 1,818 | 89 |
5. | Stuart Broad (ENG) | 338 | 49 | 6,434 | 76 |
6. | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 725 | 47 | 40,100 | 62 |
7. | Daniel Vettori (NZ) | 383 | 46 | 10,692 | 86 |
8. | James Anderson (ENG) | 348 | 45 | 3,995 | 160 |
9. | Wasim Akram (PAK) | 427 | 45 | 9,597 | 74 |
10. | Zaheer Khan (IND) | 232 | 44 | 3,469 | 61 |
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Batters with Most Zeroes in Cricket History
Top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket consist of players from different countries with varied cricketing roles throughout their career. Although this list is dominated by renowned bowlers, some star batsmen have also made their place in most ducks in international cricket. During the preparation of this list, no particular format has been focused on. Rather, this list has been compiled by gathering statistics and records from Test, ODI and T20 formats.
In this eerie list, most ducks in international cricket by Indian in all format are occupied by former star pacer Zaheer Khan. However, it is not just Indian speed-star, bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Courtney Walsh, as well as batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene have also made it to this list. Now take a look at the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
10. Zaheer Khan | 44 times

India's best left-arm fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, is tenth in the list of most ducks in international cricket in international cricket. In his 14-year cricket career from 2000-2014, Zaheer Khan has been uprooted from the crease on duck 44 times in 232 innings. He has faced a total of 3,469 balls in his entire career and has not been out 61 times. Zaheer Khan has always been prolific with the ball for India and has proved himself to be the match winner for the country many a times. But when it came to batting, he was quite shaky and was dismissed a lot of times without scoring any runs and it makes in the list of most ducks in international cricket by indian in all formats.
9. Wasim Akram | 45 times

Wasim Akram is at number nine on this list of top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket. This legendary Pakistani pacer was a fearsome bowler with the ball and was termed as ‘Sultan of Swing’. The left-handed pacer was feared by all the batsmen in the world. However, In his 19-year cricket career from 1984-2003, Akram was not very effective with the bat and returned to the pavilion for 45 ducks in 427 innings. Of these, the former Pakistan captain has played 460 matches for his country and was not out 74 times, having faced 9,597 balls in his entire career.
8. James Anderson | 45 times

James Anderson is at number eight on this list of the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket. Anderson, for his sheer success, is given the title of the best Test bowler of all time for England. In a long cricket career of 22 years, he has played 401 matches for the country and was dismissed for ducks 45 times in 348 innings. James Anderson, who dismissed a wide array of batsmen in his long career, faced a total of 3,995 balls and left the field not out 160 times.
7. Daniel Vettori | 46 times

Former New Zealand captain and star left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori is at seventh place in the list of the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket. In his 18-year-long cricket career from 1997-2015, Vettori was out on duck 46 times in 383 innings. The lanky spinner played a total of 442 matches for his country and remained not out in 86 matches after facing 10,692 balls in his entire cricket career. Daniel Vettori is considered one of New Zealand's all-time great spinners, but he is not as successful with the bat, and the stats and records pave his way in this list of most ducks in international cricket.
6. Mahela Jayawardene | 47 times

Sri Lanka's former captain and iconic batsman Mahela Jayawardene is at sixth place in the list of players who got out on zero the most number of times in international cricket. Mahela Jayawardene, in 725 innings, got out at zero 47 times in his 18-year cricket career from 1997-2015. It is quite astonishing that he makes in the most ducks in international cricket list as he was considered as one of the best batters in the world of cricket in his era.
5. Stuart Broad | 49 times

Another big name in this list is England fast bowler Stuart Broad. English bowler Broad has served the country with the ball for 17 years. However, he failed to do anything remarkable in batting and was dismissed 49 times without scoring a run in 338 innings. Broad, who hit six sixes off six balls to Yuvraj, faced 6,434 balls in his career and was not out in 76 matches. Overall, this record has earned him a place in the list of top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
4. Glenn McGrath | 49 times

One of Australia's best fast bowlers, Glenn McGrath, is fourth in the list of most ducks in international cricket. In his 14-year cricket career from 1993-2007, Glenn McGrath was out for a duck 49 times. Aussie legend McGrath could strike fear into the hearts of all batsmen in the world with the ball. That is why he was given the title of the best match-winner of that team. However, he was not that good and agile when batting and remained not out only 89 times in 207 innings for his country while facing 1818 deliveries in his entire career and made his way in the list of top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
3. Sanath Jayasuriya | 53 times

It is quite a huge surprise that Sri Lanka's mercurial batsman Sanath Jayasuriya is third in the list of most ducks in international cricket. In his 22-year cricket career from 1989-2011, Sanath Jayasuriya, in his international career, failed to make any score 53 times. If we break it down, he went back to the pavilion without bothering the scorecard 14 times in Tests, 34 in ODIs and 5 in T20Is. In his whole career, the Sri Lankan icon has faced 25,910 deliveries in total and remained not out in 35 matches for his country in international cricket.
2. Courtney Walsh | 54 times

One of the most successful fast bowlers of the West Indies, Courtney Walsh, is second in the list of batsmen who have been dismissed on zero the most number of times in cricket history. Courtney Walsh has faced 2,539 balls in 264 innings of 337 matches in his international career and scored at an average of 7.39, but has been dismissed on a personal score of zero runs 54 times while batting in his 17-year international cricket career. Courtney Walsh is the highest wicket-taker from the West Indies in international cricket and is one of top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan | 59 times

The great Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, who has dismissed batsmen from all over the world with his magical spin balls, holds the unwanted record of getting out on zero the most number of times in cricket history. This great spinner has faced 2,668 balls while batting in 328 innings of 495 matches played in his international career. During this period, Muttiah Muralitharan has also scored 1 half-century. The great Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been out on a personal score of zero runs 59 times while batting in his 19-year-long international career, which paves his way for most ducks in international cricket.
Which Batsman Has Scored the Most Ducks So Far in International Cricket?
In the list of the top 10 batsman with most ducks in international cricket, several accomplished players have made their way in this shameful table. It is quite true that no player can be at his best all the time, but getting out for a duck regularly is detrimental to any cricketer's career. Muttiah Muralitharan has been out on zero the most number of times in international cricket, 59 times. In his 19-year career from 1992 to 2011, Muralitharan was out on zero 59 times. This is a record that makes him the player with the most ducks in international cricket.
FAQs
How many ducks Virat Kohli has scored?
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How many ducks Virat Kohli has scored?
Virat Kohli has scored 38 ducks in his international cricket career across all formats.
Who is the No 1 duck out player?
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Who is the No 1 duck out player?
Muttiah Muralitharan is the No 1 duck out player.
How many ducks for MS Dhoni in international cricket?
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How many ducks for MS Dhoni in international cricket?
MS Dhoni has a total of 33 ducks in his international cricket career across all formats.
Who has the most ducks in Indian cricket?
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Who has the most ducks in Indian cricket?
Zaheer Khan has the most ducks in Indian cricket.
Who is duck King in IPL?
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Who is duck King in IPL?
Glenn Maxwell with 19 ducks is the king of ducks in IPL.
Who saved Virat Kohli's career?
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Who saved Virat Kohli's career?
MS Dhoni is is being credited with saving Virat Kohli's career.
What is golden duck in cricket?
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What is golden duck in cricket?
In cricket, a golden duck refers to a batsman being dismissed on the very first ball they face in an innings, without scoring any runs.
Who saved Rohit Sharma's career?
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Who saved Rohit Sharma's career?
MS Dhoni is quite famous for saving Rohit Sharma's ODI career by making him a opener.
How many times did Kohli get out in 99?
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How many times did Kohli get out in 99?
Virat kohli is dismissed once on 99 in his whole career.
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