T20 cricket is often identified with explosive batting, quick scoring, and boundary-filled innings. Yet there are situations when batsmen adopt a cautious approach due to the challenging conditions, quality bowling, or situational demands. There have been quite some slow innings by Indian batsmen over the years, which deserve mention in these unique circumstances. Here are the top 5 slowest T20 innings by Indian batsmen till 2025:
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- MS Dhoni – 9 runs off 27 balls (vs West Indies, 2017)
Match Background:
While playing in 2017, MS Dhoni was in a tough situation against a very hard bowling setup from West Indies, where the pitch is slow and opposition bowlers with Sunil Narine and Kesrick Williams leading didn’t let something big happen easily. A class finisher like MS Dhoni was left without any momentum at the end and made only 9 runs off 27 balls.
The match India lost, and this innings was one of the points of discussion where even the experience players struggled in such conditions.
- KL Rahul – 14 runs off 25 balls vs England, 2021
Match Context:
During the 2021 T20 series against England, KL Rahul experienced one of the slowest innings of his career. At the top of the order, he was unable to get through to the pace attack led by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, managing to score just 14 runs from 25 deliveries before being dismissed.
India lost quick wickets and Rahul did not rotate strike often, adding further pressure to the middle order. Critics commented on his failure to adapt on the tricky wicket.
- Dinesh Karthik – 1 off 12 balls vs New Zealand in 2019.
In the course of a 2019 match against New Zealand in T20, Dinesh Karthik faced bowling-friendly conditions: he was set to bat at number 6 and could hardly rotate the strike, scoring a mere 1 run off 12 balls while getting dismissed.
Impact:
This total of India could not even fetch par, hence New Zealand effortlessly chased it to win. At the same time, Karthik’s slow innings in comparison to the standards of T20 was highly critiqued over.
- Shreyas Iyer – 12 runs off 20 balls (Against Afghanistan, 2022)
Match Context
In a group stage match of the 2022 Asia Cup, Shreyas Iyer was left to steady the innings after India lost early wickets. His strike rate suffered though as Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman throttled down the middle overs. Iyer could muster only 12 runs off 20 balls.
Effect:
India could not give a very formidable total for their opponents to respond and Afghanistan, grasping their chances, defeated them. Such innings reflect the sort of pressure in front of their middle order with failures of their top order batting.
- Virat Kohli – 15 runs off 22 balls vs Australia- 2024
Match Context :
In a high-pressure game against Australia in 2024, Virat Kohli, a notorious chaser, arrived late for the party. He played an uncharacteristically slow knock-the Australian pacers, mostly Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, ensuring Kohli got just 15 runs off 22 balls.
Slow innings from Kohli led to mounting pressure on the other batsmen, and India was short of the target. It was a rare off-day for Kohli and showed how hard it is to face a world-class bowling attack in crunch situations.
Analysis: Why Do Such Innings Happen?
- Challenging Pitch Conditions: Slow pitches or those offering too much spin usually make batsmen play cautiously.
- Quality Bowling: Excellent spells from world-class bowlers can make it difficult to score.
- Pressure Situations: Situational demands, such as holding wickets after a collapse could slow down the innings.
- Lack of Strike Rotation: The failure to rotate the strike creates dot-ball pressure and leads to low strike rates.
Conclusion
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While T20 cricket requires fast scoring, it is the slow innings of Indian batsmen who prove how unpredictable this format of cricket is. Every one of them came under unique circumstances-that some were under tough conditions and others under the good opposition and situational pressures. It reminds one that even the best of players can have his bad days, and adaptability to the situation would be the difference between the victory and the defeat.
