Batting in Test cricket is a lot more difficult than limited-overs cricket. Although many batters have piled on loads of runs while batting at different positions.
However, the same batters have ended up on the wrong end, scoring unfortunate ducks several times. Getting out on zero can be frustrating for any batter, especially the upper-order batters, who are the specialists in any team. But it’s the lower-order batters who have endured the feeling the most.
On that note, let’s look at the batters who scored the most ducks at each batting position in Test cricket.
Most Ducks at Each Batting Position in Tests
| Position/No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opener | Kraigg Brathwaite (WI) – 18 | Michael Atherton (ENG) – 17 | Marvan Atapattu (SL) – 16 | Virender Sehwag (IND) – 15 | Pankaj Roy (IND) – 14 |
| No. 3 | Azhar Ali (PAK) – 15 | Hashim Amla (SA) – 11 | David Boon (AUS) – 11 | Cheteshwar Pujara (IND) – 10 | Kumar Sangakkara (SL) – 10 |
| No. 4 | Mark Waugh (AUS) – 13 | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) – 13 | Virat Kohli (IND) – 12 | Sachin Tendulkar (IND) – 11 | Ross Taylor (NZ) – 11 |
| No. 5 | Roston Chase (WI) – 12 | Steve Waugh (AUS) – 11 | Arjuna Ranatunga (SL) – 10 | Thilan Samaraweera (SL) – 10 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) – 10 |
| No. 6 | Ian Botham (ENG) – 9 | Andrew Flintoff (ENG) – 9 | Ben Stokes (ENG) – 7 | Steve Waugh (AUS) – 7 | Gus Logie (WI) – 7 |
| No. 7 | Ian Healy (AUS) – 14 | Adam Gilchrist (AUS) – 13 | Rod Marsh (AUS) – 11 | Mark Boucher (SA) – 11 | Ridley Jacobs (WI) – 10 |
| No. 8 | Shane Warne (AUS) – 22 | Mitchell Johnson (AUS) – 13 | Malcolm Marshall (WI) – 12 | Dilruwan Perera (SL) – 11 | Wasim Akram (PAK) – 10 |
| No. 9 | Curtly Ambrose (WI) – 22 | Rangana Herath (SL) – 16 | Zahir Khan (IND) – 15 | Tim Southee (NZ) – 13 | Kagiso Rabada (SA) – 11 |
| No. 10 | Stuart Broad (ENG) – 19 | Bishen Bedi (IND) – 15 | Ishant Sharma (IND) – 15 | Courtney Walsh (WI) – 14 | Steve Harmison (ENG) – 13 |
| No. 11 | Chris Martin (NZ) – 34 | Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 32 | Courtney Walsh (WI) – 27 | James Anderson (ENG) – 26 | Shannon Gabriel (WI) – 21 |
Key Stats
Chris Martin’s 34 ducks at No. 11 slot are the most by a batter at any batting position in Test cricket. And he is one of two players, along with Glenn McGrath (32 at No. 11), to register 30-plus ducks at one batting position.
Martin’s 14 out of 34 ducks came in seven Test matches at No. 11, meaning he got out on zero in both innings of those Tests. A batter registering ducks in both innings of a Test is known as a pair, and Martin logged seven such pairs, the most by a batter at any slot.
Six batters have scored 20 or more ducks while batting at No. 11 in Tests. Courtney Walsh (27), James Anderson (26), Shannon Gabriel (21), and Muthiah Muralitharan (20) are the other four batters apart from Martin and McGrath.
Michael Atherton has registered the most ducks among the upper-order batters. He got out on zero 20 times while batting between No. 1 and 3.
Australia’s Waugh brothers, Steve and Mark, the first pair of twins to play together for their country, have scored the joint-most ducks in the middle order. The twins logged 19 ducks each while batting between No. 4 and 7.
Among the tail-enders, Courtney Walsh earned the most ducks. The Caribbean bowler scored 43 ducks in his career, which is also the most by any player in red-ball cricket.
62.79% of Courtney Walsh’s Test career ducks came at No. 11. 27 of his 43 ducks came while batting at No. 11.
Ian Healy has scored the most ducks as a wicketkeeper-batter while batting at No. 7 or lower position. The Australian keeper-batter registered 18 ducks – 14 of those at No. 7, three at No. 8, and one at No. 9.
