ODI Century But No Win! Tendulkar, Kohli, Sharma’s Most Heartbreaking Knock Stats

Cricket fans understand that scoring a century in a One Day International (ODI) is a monumental achievement - a true measure of batting excellence. However, not every century guarantees a victory. Throughout ODI history, several Indian batters have crafted impressive hundreds, only to see India lose those matches. This rare but telling statistic highlights the team nature of cricket, where one outstanding innings sometimes isn’t enough to secure a win.

1. Sachin Tendulkar – 14 Centuries in Losing Causes

At the top of this list is Sachin Tendulkar, India’s legendary batting maestro. Over his illustrious ODI career, Tendulkar scored 49 ODI centuries - the second-highest in the format’s history. Remarkably, 14 of these centuries came in matches that India eventually lost, the highest for any player in ODI cricket.

This means approximately 28.6% of Tendulkar’s ODI hundreds came in defeats, illustrating not only his individual brilliance but also how India’s bowling attack or lower order occasionally struggled to support his efforts. His memorable 175 against Australia in Hyderabad (2009) and other stellar innings against world-class bowling attacks stand out, even though they couldn’t alter the final result.

2. Virat Kohli – 9 Centuries in Losing Matches

Next on the list is modern great Virat Kohli, one of India’s most prolific ODI run-scorers. Kohli has amassed 54 ODI centuries overall, a record in the format, with 9 of those centuries coming in matches India lost.

A recent example came during the India vs New Zealand series, where Kohli scored 124 runs off 108 balls in the third ODI, yet India fell short by 41 runs despite his dominance at the crease.

Kohli’s nine losing-century innings reflect both his consistency and the reality that even when he posts big scores, the rest of the batting lineup or the bowling unit sometimes fails to back him up fully.

3. Rohit Sharma – 7 Centuries in Defeats

Third on the list is Rohit Sharma, renowned globally for his elegant stroke play and ability to score huge hundreds. Rohit has scored 33 ODI centuries, with 7 of those coming in defeats.

This statistic places Rohit alongside international greats like Kumar Sangakkara and Shai Hope, who also have seven ODI hundreds in losing causes. While his record-breaking 264-run knock against Sri Lanka remains one of the greatest ODI innings, some of his other hundreds were not enough to lead India to victory.

The Bigger Picture: Batting Brilliance Meets Team Performance

Centuries scored in losing causes underline cricket’s nature as a team sport. A hundred from legends like Tendulkar, Kohli, or Rohit is a monumental individual achievement, but without strong support from bowlers, fielders, and other batters, India has sometimes struggled to secure wins.

These figures also highlight that batting brilliance must be complemented by balanced team dynamics, strong bowling attacks, batting depth, and tactical execution to convert individual milestones into match-winning performances.

While Tendulkar’s 14 losing-cause centuries stand as a record and Kohli’s 9 demonstrate his consistency even in challenging matches, Rohit’s 7 highlight his place among ODI cricket’s elite. These statistics do not diminish their legacies; rather, they emphasize that cricket requires both individual excellence and collective effort to triumph.