Longest Losing Streak In IPL
With the IPL being a short T20 tournament somehow squeezed into the middle of a busy international calendar, it becomes extremely important for teams to begin well and start racking up wins right from when the first ball is bowled. The first objective of any team is to amass enough points to at least qualify for the knockout stage, and then work on finalizing a somewhat settled playing eleven that features a winning combination of local talent and overseas players.
With consistency being of paramount importance during such a tournament, it’s important for players in the IPL to get used to their new teammates and stark working in cohesion. However, with overseas players jetting in and out of the country depending upon 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
In this list of the Most Consecutive Losses in IPL 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 having the firepower of hometown hero Virender Sehwag up top and the bowling prowess of the likes of Morne Morkel, they lost 8 matches in a row across the end of a disappointing 2012 season, and the start of the 2013 season before they were finally able to put a win on the board.
Read More: Most Losses in IPL
4. Kolkata Knight Riders, 2009 (9)
It might be strange to see two-time title winners Kolkata Knight Riders on a list of the Most Consecutive Losses in IPL history, but the Bengal-based team took its time to hit upon a winning formula. As the 2009 edition of the IPL was played in South Africa, KKR seemed unable to cope with the change in conditions and went on a nine-game losing run despite having the likes of Chris Gayle and Sourav Ganguly in the side. 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!
Read More: Total Losses by DC in IPL
3. Pune Warriors India, 2013 (9)
Although Pune Warriors India were only in the IPL for a short while, they definitely did not enjoy their time in the tournament. Having just halted a lengthy losing run (which is discussed below) that they carried over from the 2012 season, the team from Pune promptly went on another downward slide that saw them lose nine straight matches in the 2013 season. Despite having Yuvraj Singh in the squad, they just 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.
Read More: Most Losses by CSK in IPL
2. Pune Warriors India, 2012-13 (11)
The 2012 and 2013 seasons of the IPL were particularly torrid for Pune Warriors India, resulting in them being joint holders for the unwanted record of Most Consecutive Losses in IPL history. Their run of 11 straight losses started during the tail end of the 2012 season and continued during the start of next year’s iteration. As mentioned before, the team did manage to arrest the slide momentarily before embarking on another losing run soon after.
Read More: Total Losses By KXIP in IPL
1. Delhi Daredevils, 2014-15 (11)
Given the fact 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. Their diabolical performance during the tail end of the 2014 season (spilling over to the start of the 2016 season as well) sees them take top spot on this notorious list. Having lost nine on the bounce in 2014, the Double Ds ended up on the losing side in the first two matches of 2015 as well, before spirited performances from Mayank Agarwal and Yuvraj Singh finally earned them a win against the Kings XI Punjab after almost 350 winless days.
Read More: Total Losses by SRH in IPL
