Who was the first player to take a wicket on the 0th ball in men’s international?
Introduction
Cricket is a sport brimming with fascinating anomalies. While the game has evolved through centuries of traditions, it still manages to surprise fans with quirky moments that defy normal expectations. One such remarkable instance occurred in 2011, when India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli—a name synonymous with aggressive batting and consistency—etched his name into the history books not for his batting, but for a bizarre bowling statistic.
Virat Kohli became the first player in men’s international cricket to take a wicket on the 0th ball of his T20I career. Yes, you read that right—a wicket was taken before he bowled a legal delivery. Let’s dive deep into the details of this unusual but historic moment.
What Does “Wicket on the 0th Ball” Mean?
Before exploring the incident, it’s important to understand what a “0th ball” wicket means in cricket.
In the sport’s official scoring, a legal delivery must be bowled for it to count in the scorebook. However, if the bowler commits an infraction—such as a wide or a no-ball—that delivery is not counted as a legitimate ball. Despite that, certain types of dismissals are still valid off such deliveries:
- Wides: A batsman can be stumped.
- No-balls: A batsman can be run out, but not bowled, caught, LBW, or stumped.
Thus, when a bowler takes a wicket on a delivery that is either a wide or a no-ball, and they have not yet bowled a legal delivery, it gets recorded as a wicket on the 0th ball.
The Match: India vs England, August 31, 2011
The iconic moment took place during a T20 International match between India and England at Old Trafford, Manchester, on August 31, 2011. This was a time when Virat Kohli was still early in his international career but already regarded as one of India’s most promising batsmen.
Match Summary
- Event: Only T20I between India and England
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Date: August 31, 2011
India batted first and set a target of 165 for England. In reply, England chased it down comfortably, but not before a highly unusual event occurred involving Kohli and England’s star batsman, Kevin Pietersen.
The Dismissal: Kohli’s First Ball as a Wide & a Wicket
During England’s chase, India’s captain MS Dhoni decided to experiment by giving Virat Kohli his first ever over in T20 Internationals.
- Kohli’s first delivery was a wide ball down the leg side.
- Kevin Pietersen, batting at the crease, attempted to come down the track but missed the ball.
- MS Dhoni, known for his lightning-fast reflexes behind the stumps, quickly removed the bails.
- Pietersen was stumped, and the appeal was upheld.
Even though the delivery was wide, stumping is a valid mode of dismissal on a wide. Therefore, Pietersen was out.
The Statistic That Shocked Fans:
- Overs bowled: 0.0
- Runs conceded: 0
- Wickets taken: 1
This made Kohli the only player in men’s international cricket to claim a wicket on the 0th ball of his career in any format.
The Rules Behind It
Let’s break down the legality of this unusual dismissal:
According to the Laws of Cricket:
- Law 21.7: A wide ball is not a legitimate delivery.
- Law 39.1: A batsman can be stumped if out of the crease and not attempting a run, even on a wide.
So, while Kohli didn’t bowl a legitimate delivery, the wicket still counted, as the mode of dismissal (stumping) is valid under these laws.
Why Is This So Rare?
This kind of event is extremely rare for a few reasons:
- Part-time bowlers like Kohli are seldom introduced in pressure games.
- A batsman being stumped off the first (illegal) delivery is highly unusual.
- The combination of a wide + stumping on debut creates the statistical anomaly.
Other Similar Instances (But Not on Debut)
While Kohli is the only one to take a wicket on the 0th ball of his career, a few bowlers have achieved similar feats within an innings:
- Graeme Swann: Took a wicket off a wide against Pakistan in 2010.
- Sunil Narine: Dismissed a batsman off a wide in 2012.
- Shakib Al Hasan: Claimed a wicket off a wide delivery in 2014.
However, these bowlers had already made their debuts, so Kohli remains the only one to achieve it on debut.
Kohli the Bowler: A Rare Sight
Though he is known for his batting brilliance, Kohli has bowled occasionally in international cricket:
- ODIs: 4 wickets
- T20Is: 4 overs, 1 wicket
- Tests: 0 wickets
This 0th ball wicket remains his most talked-about bowling feat.
Reactions from the Cricketing World
The dismissal caught fans, commentators, and statisticians off-guard. Social media buzzed with reactions:
- Fans joked that Kohli had the best bowling average ever—1 wicket without bowling a legal delivery.
- Analysts highlighted the rarity of such dismissals.
- Some even speculated it might be a one-time record never to be repeated.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli’s “wicket on the 0th ball” is one of the quirkiest records in international cricket. It perfectly illustrates the unpredictability and charm of the game, where even a batting legend can create history with the ball in the most unexpected way.
While Kohli’s career will always be remembered for his incredible batting achievements, this unusual statistic will forever remain a quirky trivia favorite among cricket fans and historians.
