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Test Cricket Toss Decisions and Outcomes by Country, 2001–2026

Bat-first and field-first toss choices and the win rates that followed, by host country and year, for 894 men's Tests from 2001 to 2026 via Cricsheet.

Priya Raman · 1 min read

This table records what the toss winner chose in every men’s Test in Cricsheet’s archive, 894 matches across 22 host countries from December 2001 to August 2026, and how the decisive matches turned out for the side that batted first, the side that fielded first and the side that won the toss. Overall the toss winner chose to bat in 68.3% of Tests and won 54.3% of the 725 that had a result.

Sort any column or search the table; download the CSV below the table.

Tests
894
725 had a winner
Chose to Bat
68.3%
Share of tosses where the winner batted first
Toss Winner Won
54.3%
Of decisive Tests, whatever the choice
Bat-First Side Won
55.3%
Of decisive Tests, whoever chose

Batting First Is Still the Default, and the Toss Adds Little

The yearly bat-first share is the number of Tests where the toss winner chose to bat divided by all Tests that year. It was 50.0% in 2002 and 75.0% in 2025, peaking at 84.6% in 2006 and bottoming at 50.0% in 2002. A straight line through the 24 full years slopes -0.2 points per decade (r² 0.00), so there is no trend; the mean yearly share is 67.7% for 2002–2013 and 68.3% for 2014–2025, a change of +0.7 points.

Winning the toss is worth a small edge. Across all 725 decisive Tests the toss winner won 54.3%, and in 15 of the 24 full years did toss winners take more than half. The side batting first won 55.3% of decisive Tests and the side fielding first 44.7%, whichever side made the choice.

Conditions differ by country. Among the 10 host countries with at least 20 decisive Tests, batting first paid off most in United Arab Emirates (65.2% of 23) and least in New Zealand (47.7% of 65). Captains chose to bat most often in India (94.9%) and least often in New Zealand (18.1%).

Toss Choice and Toss-Winner Win Share by Year

Toss Choice and Toss-Winner Win Share by Year, 2002–20252040608010020052010201520202025YearShare of Tests (%)TrendToss Winner Chose to Bat, 2002: 50.0Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2003: 80.0Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2004: 70.6Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2005: 66.7Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2006: 84.6Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2007: 63.3Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2008: 69.8Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2009: 68.3Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2010: 69.8Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2011: 53.8Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2012: 71.4Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2013: 63.6Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2014: 63.4Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2015: 60.5Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2016: 78.7Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2017: 74.5Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2018: 80.9Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2019: 61.1Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2020: 63.6Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2021: 76.2Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2022: 67.4Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2023: 60.6Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2024: 58.0Toss Winner Chose to Bat, 2025: 75.0Toss Winner Won, 2002: 50.0Toss Winner Won, 2003: 43.8Toss Winner Won, 2004: 76.9Toss Winner Won, 2005: 65.0Toss Winner Won, 2006: 40.0Toss Winner Won, 2007: 61.9Toss Winner Won, 2008: 47.1Toss Winner Won, 2009: 57.7Toss Winner Won, 2010: 34.4Toss Winner Won, 2011: 63.0Toss Winner Won, 2012: 53.1Toss Winner Won, 2013: 57.6Toss Winner Won, 2014: 48.5Toss Winner Won, 2015: 52.9Toss Winner Won, 2016: 62.5Toss Winner Won, 2017: 62.5Toss Winner Won, 2018: 73.8Toss Winner Won, 2019: 56.2Toss Winner Won, 2020: 36.8Toss Winner Won, 2021: 48.6Toss Winner Won, 2022: 61.1Toss Winner Won, 2023: 37.0Toss Winner Won, 2024: 54.2Toss Winner Won, 2025: 56.8Toss Winner Chose to BatToss Winner Won

All host countries pooled, full years only. The dashed line is the least-squares trend of the bat-first share (-0.2 points per decade). The toss-winner line is over decisive Tests only. Hover a point for the value.

Toss Decision and Outcome by Host Country and Year

Showing 278 of 278 rows
Host CountryYearTestsChose BatChose FieldBat %DrawsDecisiveBat-First Won %Field-First Won %Toss Winner Won %
Antigua and Barbuda2003110100.0010.0100.00.0
Antigua and Barbuda2004110100.010
Antigua and Barbuda2005110100.010
Antigua and Barbuda2006110100.010
Antigua and Barbuda2008110100.010
Antigua and Barbuda20092020.020
Antigua and Barbuda2012110100.0010.0100.00.0
Antigua and Barbuda20151010.010
Antigua and Barbuda2016110100.001100.00.0100.0
Antigua and Barbuda20181010.0010.0100.0100.0
Antigua and Barbuda20192020.00250.050.050.0
Antigua and Barbuda20212020.020
Antigua and Barbuda202221150.0110.0100.0100.0
Antigua and Barbuda20241010.001100.00.00.0
Antigua and Barbuda202621150.0110.0100.0100.0
Australia2002110100.001100.00.0100.0
Australia200352340.01450.050.050.0
Australia200443175.01366.733.333.3
Australia2005330100.00366.733.366.7
Australia2006550100.00540.060.040.0
Australia200743175.00475.025.050.0
Australia200876185.71650.050.033.3
Australia2009550100.014100.00.0100.0
Australia201064266.71560.040.060.0
Australia201143175.00450.050.025.0
Australia201287187.52650.050.066.7
Australia201353260.00560.040.0100.0
Australia201443175.01366.733.333.3
Australia201565183.32475.025.050.0
Australia201665183.31540.060.060.0
Australia201754180.01450.050.025.0
Australia2018440100.00475.025.075.0
Australia201976185.71666.733.350.0
Australia2020330100.00333.366.733.3
Australia202154180.01425.075.050.0
Australia202263350.01560.040.080.0
Australia202332166.712100.00.050.0
Australia202475271.41650.050.066.7
Australia202554180.00520.080.040.0
Australia202632166.7030.0100.033.3
Bangladesh200321150.00250.050.00.0
Bangladesh200421150.00250.050.0100.0
Bangladesh2006330100.0030.0100.00.0
Bangladesh200721150.011100.00.00.0
Bangladesh200832166.71250.050.050.0
Bangladesh2009110100.001100.00.0100.0
Bangladesh201042250.00450.050.00.0
Bangladesh201142250.01333.366.7100.0
Bangladesh2012220100.00250.050.050.0
Bangladesh2013220100.020
Bangladesh201454180.01450.050.075.0
Bangladesh201554180.041100.00.00.0
Bangladesh2016220100.002100.00.0100.0
Bangladesh2017220100.00250.050.050.0
Bangladesh2018660100.015100.00.0100.0
Bangladesh2020110100.0010.0100.00.0
Bangladesh2021440100.00450.050.050.0
Bangladesh2022440100.01333.366.733.3
Bangladesh2023330100.00333.366.733.3
Bangladesh202443175.00475.025.050.0
Bangladesh2025440100.00425.075.025.0
Bangladesh20262020.002100.00.00.0
Barbados2005110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados20081010.001100.00.00.0
Barbados2009110100.010
Barbados2010110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados20111010.010
Barbados2012110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados2013110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados2014110100.001100.00.0100.0
Barbados2015110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados2017110100.001100.00.0100.0
Barbados2018110100.0010.0100.00.0
Barbados2019110100.001100.00.0100.0
Barbados2022110100.010
Barbados2025110100.001100.00.0100.0
Dominica20111010.010
Dominica2012110100.001100.00.0100.0
Dominica20131010.0010.0100.0100.0
Dominica2015110100.0010.0100.00.0
Dominica20171010.001100.00.00.0
Dominica2023110100.0010.0100.00.0
England2003440100.01366.733.366.7
England2004220100.002100.00.0100.0
England200553260.01475.025.075.0
England200676185.72560.040.040.0
England200774357.13450.050.0100.0
England200873442.92520.080.020.0
England200965183.31580.020.060.0
England201085362.50862.537.525.0
England201161516.72475.025.050.0
England201263350.02425.075.050.0
England2013770100.025100.00.0100.0
England201473442.92560.040.040.0
England201562433.30666.733.333.3
England201675271.41683.316.750.0
England2017770100.00771.428.671.4
England201875271.40757.142.957.1
England201963350.01580.020.080.0
England202064266.72450.050.00.0
England202174357.12540.060.020.0
England202273442.9070.0100.057.1
England202371614.31650.050.033.3
England202462433.30633.366.733.3
England202571614.31666.733.350.0
England202651420.00580.020.040.0
Grenada20091010.0010.0100.0100.0
Grenada20151010.0010.0100.0100.0
Grenada20221010.0010.0100.0100.0
Grenada2025110100.001100.00.0100.0
Guyana2008110100.001100.00.0100.0
Guyana2011110100.001100.00.0100.0
Guyana2024110100.001100.00.0100.0
India2001110100.010
India2003110100.010
India2004440100.02250.050.050.0
India2005110100.001100.00.0100.0
India2006220100.0110.0100.00.0
India2007330100.0210.0100.00.0
India2008990100.04540.060.040.0
India2009330100.01250.050.050.0
India2010770100.02520.080.020.0
India2011330100.01250.050.050.0
India2012660100.01540.060.040.0
India201365183.3060.0100.016.7
India201543175.013100.00.0100.0
India2016880100.01757.142.957.1
India201787187.53560.040.060.0
India2018220100.00250.050.050.0
India2019550100.00560.040.060.0
India2021660100.01560.040.060.0
India2022220100.002100.00.0100.0
India2023440100.0130.0100.00.0
India2024108280.001060.040.060.0
India2025440100.00475.025.075.0
Ireland20181010.001100.00.00.0
Ireland20241010.0010.0100.0100.0
Ireland20261010.001100.00.00.0
Jamaica2006110100.001100.00.0100.0
Jamaica2008110100.001100.00.0100.0
Jamaica2009110100.0010.0100.00.0
Jamaica2011110100.001100.00.0100.0
Jamaica20121010.0010.0100.0100.0
Jamaica2014110100.001100.00.0100.0
Jamaica20151010.001100.00.00.0
Jamaica2016110100.010
Jamaica20171010.0010.0100.0100.0
Jamaica20181010.001100.00.00.0
Jamaica20191010.001100.00.00.0
Jamaica20212020.00250.050.050.0
Jamaica2024110100.001100.00.0100.0
Jamaica2025110100.001100.00.0100.0
New Zealand20042020.0020.0100.0100.0
New Zealand20053030.0120.0100.0100.0
New Zealand200632166.70366.733.333.3
New Zealand200852340.00560.040.080.0
New Zealand200962433.33366.733.333.3
New Zealand201032166.703100.00.066.7
New Zealand201121150.0110.0100.0100.0
New Zealand20124040.02250.050.050.0
New Zealand20136060.04250.050.050.0
New Zealand20143030.012100.00.00.0
New Zealand20153030.00366.733.333.3
New Zealand20164040.00425.075.075.0
New Zealand201772528.62520.080.080.0
New Zealand20184040.02250.050.050.0
New Zealand201941325.0130.0100.066.7
New Zealand20205050.00560.040.040.0
New Zealand20211010.0010.0100.0100.0
New Zealand202241325.00450.050.075.0
New Zealand20234040.00450.050.050.0
New Zealand202471614.30757.142.928.6
New Zealand202531233.31250.050.0100.0
Pakistan2003330100.0120.0100.00.0
Pakistan20041010.0010.0100.0100.0
Pakistan2005220100.011100.00.0100.0
Pakistan200643175.02250.050.00.0
Pakistan2007220100.011100.00.0100.0
Pakistan200921150.020
Pakistan2019220100.011100.00.0100.0
Pakistan20201010.0010.0100.0100.0
Pakistan2021220100.00250.050.050.0
Pakistan2022770100.03475.025.075.0
Pakistan2023110100.010
Pakistan202453260.00520.080.060.0
Pakistan2025440100.00475.025.075.0
South Africa20021010.001100.00.00.0
South Africa2003220100.002100.00.0100.0
South Africa200532166.70333.366.766.7
South Africa200686275.01757.142.971.4
South Africa200764266.70633.366.733.3
South Africa200842250.00425.075.025.0
South Africa200954180.01450.050.050.0
South Africa201041325.01333.366.733.3
South Africa201152340.01425.075.075.0
South Africa20121010.001100.00.00.0
South Africa201376185.71650.050.066.7
South Africa201452340.014100.00.050.0
South Africa201521150.00250.050.00.0
South Africa201665183.32475.025.050.0
South Africa201752340.005100.00.040.0
South Africa2018880100.00875.025.075.0
South Africa201952340.00540.060.060.0
South Africa2020440100.00475.025.075.0
South Africa2021220100.00250.050.050.0
South Africa202243175.00450.050.025.0
South Africa202332166.70366.733.3100.0
South Africa202442250.00450.050.050.0
South Africa2025110100.001100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka2003110100.0010.0100.00.0
Sri Lanka2004110100.001100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka200521150.00250.050.0100.0
Sri Lanka200632166.7030.0100.033.3
Sri Lanka200762433.32425.075.0100.0
Sri Lanka2008330100.00366.733.366.7
Sri Lanka200952340.01475.025.025.0
Sri Lanka201065183.34250.050.050.0
Sri Lanka201132166.721100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka201275271.42560.040.060.0
Sri Lanka201321150.0110.0100.0100.0
Sri Lanka2014440100.01366.733.366.7
Sri Lanka201585362.50862.537.575.0
Sri Lanka2016330100.003100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka2017660100.00666.733.366.7
Sri Lanka2018550100.005100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka2019220100.0020.0100.00.0
Sri Lanka2021660100.01560.040.060.0
Sri Lanka2022440100.00425.075.025.0
Sri Lanka2023440100.00425.075.025.0
Sri Lanka2024220100.002100.00.0100.0
Sri Lanka2025440100.01333.366.733.3
Sri Lanka2026220100.011100.00.0100.0
St Kitts and Nevis2006110100.010
St Kitts and Nevis2010110100.010
St Kitts and Nevis2011110100.001100.00.0100.0
St Lucia2006110100.010
St Lucia20141010.001100.00.00.0
St Lucia20161010.001100.00.00.0
St Lucia2018110100.010
St Lucia20191010.001100.00.00.0
St Lucia202121150.00250.050.00.0
St Lucia20221010.0010.0100.0100.0
St Vincent and the Grenadines2009110100.001100.00.0100.0
St Vincent and the Grenadines20141010.001100.00.00.0
Trinidad and Tobago20081010.0010.0100.0100.0
Trinidad and Tobago2009110100.010
Trinidad and Tobago2010110100.001100.00.0100.0
Trinidad and Tobago2012110100.010
Trinidad and Tobago2014110100.0010.0100.00.0
Trinidad and Tobago2016110100.010
Trinidad and Tobago2018110100.001100.00.0100.0
Trinidad and Tobago20231010.010
Trinidad and Tobago2024110100.010
Trinidad and Tobago2026220100.00250.050.050.0
United Arab Emirates201021150.020
United Arab Emirates201132166.7210.0100.00.0
United Arab Emirates2012330100.00366.733.366.7
United Arab Emirates201332166.7120.0100.00.0
United Arab Emirates201476185.71650.050.066.7
United Arab Emirates2015330100.012100.00.0100.0
United Arab Emirates2016330100.00366.733.366.7
United Arab Emirates2017220100.002100.00.0100.0
United Arab Emirates2018550100.014100.00.0100.0
Wales2009110100.010
Wales2011110100.0010.0100.00.0
Wales2015110100.001100.00.0100.0
Zimbabwe2003110100.001100.00.0100.0
Zimbabwe200532166.70333.366.70.0
Zimbabwe201131233.30366.733.366.7
Zimbabwe201341325.004100.00.025.0
Zimbabwe2014110100.0010.0100.00.0
Zimbabwe201643175.00475.025.050.0
Zimbabwe2017220100.011100.00.0100.0
Zimbabwe2020220100.0110.0100.00.0
Zimbabwe2021330100.00366.733.366.7
Zimbabwe2023220100.0110.0100.00.0
Zimbabwe202554180.00560.040.040.0
Zimbabwe20261010.0010.0100.0100.0

Win percentages are over decisive Tests only; a dash means no decisive Test that year. 2001 and 2026 are partial years.

Download the full table (CSV) · 278 rows

How the Numbers Were Made

Source and counting. Each match's info file in Cricsheet's men's Test CSV archive (894 matches, 2001-12-19 to 2026-08-30, retrieved 2026-09-13) records the toss winner, its decision, the venue and the outcome. Matches are grouped by the venue's real-world country, so Pakistan's fixtures in the United Arab Emirates sit under that country and West Indies home Tests are split across the Caribbean host nations. Win shares use decisive Tests only.

The finding. Yearly shares pool every host country. The trend is an ordinary least-squares line through the bat-first share for the 24 full years 2002–2025; the era split compares the mean of the yearly values before and from 2014. Country comparisons use hosts with at least 20 decisive Tests. Win counts per row are recovered from the published percentages and the decisive count, which is exact at these sample sizes.

Checks. Tests sum to 894 and decisive Tests plus draws equal that total. Single-Test country-years show 0% or 100%; read the percentage next to the decisive count.

Afghanistan is missing. Cricsheet withholds all 13 Afghanistan Test matches from its public download, so Afghanistan never appears in this table and any Test involving Afghanistan is absent from every total on this page. Coverage also starts on 2001-12-19, so 2001 is a partial year, and 2026 stops at the retrieval date.

Licence. Cricsheet publishes no formal licence text; its downloads, about and format pages were checked on 2026-09-13 and none exists. The project describes itself as freely available structured cricket data and asks to be credited. The table is republished on that basis, with Cricsheet named as the source, and anyone reusing it under terms that need a clear licence grant should check with Cricsheet first.

Sources

  1. Cricsheet men's Test matches, ball-by-ball CSV (tests_male_csv2.zip)primaryCricsheet · primary · retrieved 2026-09-13 · No formal licence stated (checked 2026-09-13); attribute Cricsheet — 894 men's Tests, 2001-12-19 to 2026-08-30; 13 Afghanistan matches withheld from the public download
  2. Cricsheet CSV format description (csv_ashwin)secondaryCricsheet · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-13 · No formal licence stated (checked 2026-09-13); attribute Cricsheet — Field definitions used to read the match info and delivery files