Longest Losing Streak In IPL
The IPL is a brief T20 tournament that fits a busy international schedule. Teams must start well and begin racking up wins as soon as the first ball is bowled. Any team should aim to get enough points to, at minimum, qualify for the knockout stages. Next, work on settling on a playing eleven with a winning combination of local and international talent.
Consistency is paramount during such a tournament; players in the IPL need to get used to their new teammates and start working in cohesion. However, with overseas players jetting in and out of the country depending on their teams’ playing schedules, some IPL franchises find it hard to settle into a suitable rhythm.
There can also be other factors at play that hinder a team’s ability to accumulate wins, like an ill-advised transfer strategy, wrong team selection, or even just a combination of lack of form and bad luck.
Top 5 Longest Losing Streak In IPL
This is the complete list. IPL: Most Consecutive Losses in history, we’ll come across a combination of all these factors and more!
5. Delhi Daredevils, 2012-13 (8)
Although the name change in 2019 did seem to bring about an upturn in fortunes for the side from the capital, the Delhi franchise has made the tag of ‘perennial underachievers’ their own. Despite the presence of hometown hero Virender, Sehwag, and Morne Morkel’s bowling prowess, the team lost eight matches in a row at the end of a disappointing 2012 season and the beginning of the 2013 season.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (9)
It may seem odd to see Kolkata Knight Riders’ two-time title winner on a list that lists the most consecutive losses in IPL history. But the Bengal-based team took its sweet time finding a winning formula. KKR lost nine games in 2009, despite the presence of Chris Gayle or Sourav Ganguly. However, it’s not all bad news for KKR fans – they did manage to turn their fortunes around pretty soon, and the results are there in their trophy cabinet for all to see!
3. Pune Warriors India 2013, (9)
Even though Pune Warriors India was only there briefly, it was not a pleasant experience. The team from Pune lost nine consecutive matches after ending a losing streak (which will be discussed later). Despite having Yuvraj Singh in the squad, they couldn’t settle on a winning formula and therefore have the dubious distinction of featuring twice on this list of the longest losing streak in IPL history.
2. Pune Warriors India 2012-13 (11)
Pune Warriors India was particularly shattered during the 2012 and 2013 IPL seasons. This resulted in them becoming joint holders for the undesirable record of most consecutive losses in IPL history. Their run of 11 straight defeats started during the tail end of the 2012 season and continued during the start of the following year’s iteration. As I mentioned, the team temporarily stopped the slide before embarking on a new losing streak soon afterward.
1. Delhi Daredevils, 2014-15 (11)
Given that they remain the only ever-present never to have made an appearance in the final, it’s not a surprise to see Delhi Daredevils in this list of the longest losing streak in IPL history. They are now at the top of this list due to their pathetic performance in the final quarter of 2014, which carried over into the 2016 season. The Double Ds lost nine consecutive matches in 2014 and the second two matches of 2015. However, Yuvraj Sing’s spirited performance earned them a victory against Kings XI Punjab after almost 350 defeatless days.