Top 5 batters with most ODI hundreds in losing cause ft. Virat Kohli

Star India batter Virat Kohli struck his second consecutive hundred in the second ODI against South Africa in Raipur on Wednesday, December 3. However, the Men in Blue lost the game as the Proteas won by four wickets.

Batting first, India scored 358/5 from their 50 overs. Virat Kohli made 102 runs off just 93 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes at a strike-rate of 109.68. In the previous game that they won, he had slammed a 120-ball 135.

It was Kohli's 53rd ODI hundred and seventh against South Africa in the format, the most for any batter as well. Since 2019, it was the first time that Kohli scored a hundred in a losing cause in one-dayers.

Barring Virat Kohli, many other big names have also scored several tons that have gone in vain. That said, let us take a look at the top five batters with the most ODI hundreds in a losing cause.

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#5 Rohit Sharma (7)

Rohit Sharma has played 278 ODIs, scoring 11441 runs with 33 hundreds to his name. Of these, seven hundreds have come in a losing cause. These include - 114 against Zimbabwe in 2010, 138 against Australia in 2015, 150 against South Africa in 2015, 171* and 124 against Australia in 2016, 133 against Australia in 2019, and 102 against England in 2019.

Notably, Rohit is joined by three other batters at number five on this list. Kumar Sangakkara, Paul Stirling, and Ross Taylor also have seven ODI hundreds in a losing cause.

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#4 Virat Kohli (8)

Virat Kohli moved above Rohit, Sangakkara, Stirling, and Ross Taylor in this unwanted record, taking the fourth position with eight ODI hundreds in a losing cause. His 102 against South Africa in the second match that India lost resulted in his climbing up the list.

Virat Kohli has slammed 53 ODI hundreds in 307 matches, amassing 14492 runs. His eight centuries in a losing cause in the format include - 107 against England in 2011, 123 against New Zealand in 2014, 117 and 106 against Australia in 2016, 121 against New Zealand in 2017, 107 against West Indies in 2018, 123 against Australia in 2019, and the recent ton against South Africa.

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#3 Brendan Taylor (9)

Veteran Zimbabwe wicketkeeper batter Brendan Taylor is third on the list with nine ODI centuries in a losing cause. The 39-year-old has played 207 matches in the format, scoring 6704 runs with 11 hundreds.

His nine centuries in the format in a losing cause include - 118* against Bangladesh in 2009, 145* against South Africa in 2010, 106 against Bangladesh in 2011, 128* and 107* against New Zealand in 2011, 121 against Ireland in 2015, 138 against India in 2015, 138 against West Indies in 2018, and 112 against Pakistan in 2020.

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#2 Chris Gayle (11)

'Universe Boss' and explosive West Indies legend Chris Gayle featured in 301 ODIs, piling on 10480 runs with 25 centuries. Out of these, Gayle has 11 centuries in the format in a losing cause and is second on the list.

These include - 140 against India in 2002, 152* against South Africa in 2004, 132 against South Africa in 2005, 124 against Pakistan in 2005, 123 against India in 2006, 101 against England in 2006, 113 and 122 against Pakistan in 2008, 135 against New Zealand in 2009, and 135 and 162 against England in 2019.

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#1 Sachin Tendulkar (14)

Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar tops this unwanted list. Tendulkar played 463 ODIs, amassing 18426 runs with 49 centuries, the second-most in the format after Virat Kohli. Unfortunately for Tendulkar, 14 of these centuries came in a losing cause.

These include - 137 against Sri Lanka in 1996, 100 against Pakistan in 1996, 110 against Sri Lanka in 1996, 143 against Australia in 1998, 101 against Sri Lanka in 2000, 146 against Zimbabwe in 2000, 101 against South Africa in 2001, 141 against Pakistan in 2004, 123 against Pakistan in 2005, 100 against Pakistan in 2006, 141* against West Indies in 2006, 175 against Australia in 2009, 111 against South Africa in 2011, 114 against Bangladesh in 2012.