5 famous players who got a diamond duck in Test cricket

Being dismissed for a duck is something that batsmen hate the most and that is also the reason why most batsmen are almost always anxious to get their first run. However, what is a batsman to do if he is dismissed without even facing a single delivery? Now, that is not only the most unfortunate of ducks but also something that batsmen must feel particularly hard done about.

Those are called 'Diamond Ducks', as it happens and a handful of players have had the misfortune of having been dismissed that way. Here is a look at some of the better-known players who have been dismissed for a Diamond Duck.

#5 Harbhajan Singh against Australia at Melbourne, 2007

The 2007-08 tour of Australia by the Indian team is remembered for the raging controversies but at the same time, there was some brilliant cricket on show. However, India’s capitulation in the 1st Test at Melbourne was a one-sided game and it also saw India’s spin bowling ace get dismissed for a Diamond Duck in the 2nd innings.

After having been set to score 499 to win, India were playing for survival but none of the batsmen put up much of a fight. With the score at 157 for 7, Harbhajan walked in but he was soon run out after Mike Hussey at cover spotted that he had backed up too much. He threw the ball at the non-striker’s end and Brad Hogg, the bowler did the rest. He went for nought without even facing a ball.

#4 Taufeeq Umar against Australia at Sharjah, 2002

This was that infamous Test match at Sharjah in which Pakistan were all out for 59 in the 1st innings and 51 in the 2nd. In the 2nd innings, the dismissal of opening batsman Taufeeq Umar for a Diamond Duck was perhaps an early indication that the Pakistanis won’t do better than their 1st attempt. After Australia secured a 251 run, Pakistan had to bat long but in the very first over, the openers had a terrible mix-up.

Imran Nazir had faced the first five deliveries of the over and then off the sixth ball, a firm push went to Ponting at short point. The Australian batsman took some time to field the ball but by then Umar had started running despite no response from Nazir and both batsmen ended up at the striker’s end. Ponting threw the ball to McGrath and Umar was soon gone for a 'Diamond Duck'.

#3 Simon Katich against England at Adelaide, 2010

The Ashes series in 2010-11 was a forgettable one for Australia as England completed their 1st away win in 24 years. However, for opener Simon Katich, his dismissal in the 1st innings in the 2nd Test at Adelaide was a particularly forgettable one. In the 2nd Test at Adelaide, Australia chose to bat first but disaster struck in the very first over.

Katich, who was at the non-striker’s end and had not faced a ball till then, responded late to a call for a single from Shane Watson in the first over. In the confusion, he was almost stranged and Jonathan Trott hit the stumps directly to send him back off the 4th ball of the innings. He walked back for nought for a Golden Duck and Australia were never quite able to assert themselves in the game against as England won by an innings and 71 runs.

#2 Younis Khan against Bangladesh at Multan, 2003

In the early days of Bangladesh cricket, they were a team against whom batsmen loved to play since there was always the prospect of scoring big against a mediocre bowling attack. However, things were not as rosy when Pakistan played Bangladesh at Multan back in 2003 and won the game by only 1 wicket due to the heroics of Inzamam-ul-Haq. Chasing 261 for victory, they were in trouble from the outset reduced to 78 for 3.

However, disaster really struck when Younis Khan, one of the stars of the side, was run out without even facing a delivery. He was a player, who could have made the chase a far more comfortable affair but his dismissal for Diamond Duck tightened the noose. In the end, Pakistan prevailed by the skin of their teeth.

#1 Rahul Dravid against Pakistan at Lahore, 2004

After India’s superb victory in the 1st Test at Multan, they were brought back to earth in the 2nd Test at Lahore but things perhaps could have been a bit different had premier batsman Rahul Dravid not been run out for a Diamond Duck. After having been dismissed for 287 in the 1st innings, India conceded a lead of 202 runs but they fared much worse in their 2nd innings.

After Aakash Chopra was dismissed with the score at 15, Dravid came to the crease. However, he was not on strike since Chopra had been dismissed off the last ball of the over. In the 2nd ball of the next over, Virender Sehwag pushed a ball towards point and the batsmen tried to steal a single. Pakistani fielder Imran Farhat swooped quickly and hit the stumps directly to catch Dravid short of the crease. The Indian great did not even wait for the 3rd umpire’s decision.