A duck is the one score no batter wants. In cricket, a duck means a batter walks back to the pavilion without scoring a single run. It can happen to the best players in the world, and the IPL is no different. Across 19 seasons of fast and fearless cricket, many great batters have recorded zeros against their names. Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma now share the unwanted record for the most ducks in IPL history, with 19 each after the 2026 season. Sunil Narine and Dinesh Karthik sit close behind with 18 each. This article lists the players with the most ducks in IPL, shows how the record has changed over the years, and explains why even the biggest stars end up on this list. If you want to know which IPL batter has the most ducks, the full answer is below.
Most Ducks in IPL Overview
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Record | Most ducks in IPL history |
| Holders | Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma |
| Number | 19 ducks each |
| Next in line | Sunil Narine and Dinesh Karthik with 18 each |
| Updated through | The 2026 IPL season |
A duck is recorded when a batter is dismissed without scoring. In T20 cricket, where batters attack from the very first ball, ducks are common. Openers face the new ball, finishers try to hit every ball, and lower order batters often arrive with only a few balls left. All of these roles raise the chance of a zero. That is why this list mixes great openers, famous finishers, and bowlers who bat down the order.
Top 10 Players with Most Ducks in IPL
The table below lists the ten players with the most ducks in IPL history, with their innings, runs, and career span for context.
| Rank | Player | Ducks | Innings | Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenn Maxwell | 19 | 135 | 2819 | 2012 to 2025 |
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | 19 | 276 | 7329 | 2008 to 2026 |
| 3 | Sunil Narine | 18 | 126 | 1820 | 2012 to 2026 |
| 3 | Dinesh Karthik | 18 | 234 | 4842 | 2008 to 2024 |
| 5 | Rashid Khan | 16 | 74 | 635 | 2017 to 2026 |
| 5 | Piyush Chawla | 16 | 92 | 624 | 2008 to 2024 |
| 7 | Mandeep Singh | 15 | 98 | 1706 | 2010 to 2023 |
| 7 | Ajinkya Rahane | 15 | 197 | 5367 | 2008 to 2026 |
| 7 | Ambati Rayudu | 15 | 187 | 4348 | 2010 to 2023 |
| 10 | Manish Pandey | 14 | 164 | 4012 | 2008 to 2026 |
Glenn Maxwell reached 19 ducks in only 135 innings, which shows how his fearless hitting style works both ways. Rohit Sharma needed 276 innings to reach the same number, which reflects his long career as an opener. Rohit also sits among the top run scorers in IPL history, so his ducks are the cost of 19 seasons of attacking batting. See his full scoring record in our page on Rohit Sharma IPL runs against each team. Maxwell attacked from the first ball of his innings for Delhi, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and his season by season IPL numbers show the same all out approach.
The bowlers on this list tell a different story. Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan and Piyush Chawla bat at number eight or lower, where they face very few balls and often need quick runs. Narine opened the batting for Kolkata Knight Riders in several seasons, which added to his count, and his year by year IPL numbers show a long career at the top level. Dinesh Karthik retired after the 2024 season as one of the finest finishers in T20 history, yet he still finished with 18 ducks from 234 innings.
Record History
In the early years of the IPL, long serving openers like Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik slowly collected ducks as their careers grew. Rohit moved toward the top of the list season after season, while Karthik stayed close behind him.
The picture changed when Glenn Maxwell went past Rohit Sharma during the 2025 season to hold the record alone with 19 ducks. Maxwell reached the mark in far fewer innings, a result of his aggressive middle order role. Jos Buttler also made history in this period, becoming the first batter to record five ducks in a single IPL season in 2023. You can read more about his career numbers in our page on Jos Buttler IPL runs against each team.
Rohit Sharma answered back in the 2026 season. On 24 May 2026, playing for Mumbai Indians against Rajasthan Royals, he was dismissed for a four ball duck. That zero took him level with Maxwell on 19 ducks each. So going into the next season, the two men share the most ducks in IPL history.
What This Record Tells Us
This list is not a list of failed batters. Rohit Sharma is one of the highest run scorers in IPL history and has led his team to multiple titles. Dinesh Karthik was a trusted finisher for 17 seasons. Virat Kohli, who sits far below the leaders with 11 ducks, shows that even the most consistent batters cannot avoid a few zeros.
The real lesson is about volume and role. Openers face the new ball in the powerplay, where the chance of an early dismissal is highest. Finishers and lower order hitters swing at almost every ball they face, so a zero is always close. Bowlers who bat at number nine or ten often arrive with only a few balls left and a big target to chase. Long careers simply multiply all of these chances. A high duck count usually means a player batted in risky positions for a very long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most ducks in IPL history?
Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma share the record with 19 ducks each. Maxwell reached 19 in the 2025 season, and Rohit joined him with 19 ducks in May 2026 after a four ball duck against Rajasthan Royals.
Who has the most ducks in a single IPL season?
Jos Buttler holds this record with five ducks in the 2023 season for Rajasthan Royals. He broke the old mark of four ducks, set by Herschelle Gibbs for Deccan Chargers in 2009. Buttler still scored 392 runs that season.
How many ducks does Virat Kohli have in the IPL?
Virat Kohli has 11 ducks in the IPL. Given that he has played more than 270 matches, 11 ducks is a remarkably low number and shows his consistency.
Who recorded the first duck in IPL history?
The first duck in IPL history came in the very first IPL match in 2008, when Ajit Agarkar dismissed Balachandra Akhil without scoring.
Why do aggressive batters like Glenn Maxwell have so many ducks?
Maxwell attacks from the first ball of almost every innings. That style brings quick runs and match winning innings, but it also means he gets out early more often. Over a long career, this approach adds up to more ducks than a cautious batter would record.
Which bowler has the most ducks in IPL?
Sunil Narine leads the bowlers on this list with 18 ducks, followed by Rashid Khan with 16 and Piyush Chawla with 16. All three bat in the lower order, where they face few balls and often have to score fast.
Does a high number of ducks mean a batter is bad?
No. Rohit Sharma has more than 7300 IPL runs and multiple titles, and Dinesh Karthik built a great career as a finisher. Their duck counts come from long careers in attacking roles. For more on the league great batters, see our pages on the Orange Cap winners and the teams with the most Orange Cap wins. External verification of IPL numbers is available on the official IPL website and on ESPNcricinfo.
Statistics updated through: 20 October 2026
