Types of Ducks in Cricket Explained
Every type of duck in cricket — golden duck, silver duck, diamond duck, and more — what each means and how they're recorded.
What Is a Duck?
A duck in cricket means a batter was dismissed for zero — they scored no runs in their innings. The term 'duck' comes from the scoreboard representation of 0, said to resemble a duck's egg. Ducks are inevitable even for the best batters across long careers, but specialists at numbers 1–7 aim to avoid them as they represent a total failure to contribute to the innings.
Types of Ducks
| Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Duck | Dismissed for zero (any number of balls faced). |
| Golden Duck | Dismissed for zero on the very first ball faced. |
| Silver Duck | Dismissed for zero on the second ball faced. |
| Bronze Duck | Dismissed for zero on the third ball faced. |
| Diamond Duck | Out without facing a ball (e.g., run out going for a bye before the ball is bowled). |
| King Pair | Dismissed first ball (golden duck) in both innings of the same match. |
| Royal Duck | Dismissed first ball as a captain — a golden duck by the team's leader. |
Diamond Duck
A diamond duck is particularly rare — it requires a batter to be dismissed without facing a ball at all. The most common scenario is a run-out when the non-striker goes for a run on a misfield, is caught short of the crease, and the batter who arrives at the crease to bat has not yet faced a delivery. Stumped off a wide that arrives before the first legitimate delivery is another possibility.
Famous Duck Records
- Most ducks in Test career: Courtney Walsh (West Indies) holds the record with 43 ducks in 185 Test innings.
- Most golden ducks in Tests: Mark Boucher (South Africa) with 13 golden ducks in his Test career.
- Virat Kohli recorded fewer ducks than most batters given his volume of innings — a reflection of his rarely losing his wicket for zero.
Frequently asked questions
Does a duck affect a batter's average differently to a low score?
A duck (dismissal for 0) reduces the average by the same denominator as any other dismissal — it counts as one innings. But since it adds 0 runs to the numerator, it reduces the average more sharply than a small score like 5 or 10.
Who has the most ducks in international cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for most ducks in all international cricket combined — expected, as he batted at number 10 or 11 in nearly every innings across a long career.
Is a duck recorded in a batter's stats?
Yes — ducks are tracked in player records. Some statistical databases separately count golden ducks, ducks, and not-out innings of 0.