A report card on the Indian team that drew the five-match Test series 2-2 in England (criteria: had to have played at least three matches).
6/10 Yashasvi Jaiswal: 411 runs at 41.1, 100×2, 50×2
Started and ended his first tour of England with centuries but failed to convert either of his three-figure innings into scores of 150-plus, as he has done in the past. Managed two half-centuries too, while also getting out twice to needlessly aggressive shots. Given the outrageous talent that the 23-year-old possesses, a series return of 411 runs seems inadequate. Still, plenty to admire about Jaiswal whose ability to deliver India brisk starts will come in handy more often than not. Had a terrible series in the slip cordon.
8/10 KL Rahul: 532 runs at 55.32, 100x 2, 50×2
Statistically, this was the 33-year-old’s most successful series. Rahul got to 400 runs for the first time in a series, and also scored more than one century. He seems best suited to opening and relished the England conditions (except for the paciest track of all, at The Oval) while bedding down to face 1,066 balls in the series. Threw away a chance to convert a century into something big at Lord’s, and in the same innings his role in Rishabh Pant’s run out, which turned the match around, was glaring,
4/10 B Sai Sudharsan: 104 runs at 23.3, 50×1
Made his Test debut in Leeds, where both times he was out clipping off the pads. Got as far as 61 at Old Trafford, batted two-and-a-half hours for his 38 at The Oval, and bagged two ducks. Looked good at No 3 for the most part. Dropped two catches on day four of the final Test.
9/10 Shubman Gill: 754 runs at 75.4, 100×4
In his first Test series as captain, the 25-year-old showed that the leadership does not burden his batting, as evidenced by 754 runs with four centuries, including a career-best 269. Note, however, that a little over 90 percent of his overall runs came in four innings. But what four innings they were, whew. In Birmingham, Gill scored 269 and 1501 to become the first batsman to score 200 and 150 in the same Test and finished as the second-most runs by a player in one match. Sandwiched between two poor Tests was a solid 103 in the third innings at Old Trafford to set the way forward for India to draw the match. Loses a point for some defensive captaincy and that silly run out at The Oval. If only Gill can show a bit more patience in his spinners, chiefly Washington Sundar.
3/10 Karun Nair: 205 runs at 25.6, 50×1
Recalled to Test cricket after eight years, Karun Nair was unable to replicate his Ranji Trophy and County Championship form in the four matches he was handed. Looked good when driving effortlessly, but a lack of judgement let him down too often. Started with a duck on comeback, was out four times between 26 and 57, and never really appeared settled at No 3 or No 5.
8/10 Rishabh Pant: 479 runs at 68.4, 100×2, 50×3, seven catches
Before injury cut short his tour, Rishabh Pant dazzled with his notable contributions through four Tests. As with Pant, you got the sublime with the ridiculous. Scores of 134 and 116 at Headingley took him past MS Dhoni for the most centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper, and there was an audacious 65 at Lord’s. In what sadly proved to be Pant’s final contribution, he hobbled out with a fractured foot at Old Trafford and scored a brave 54.
8/10 Ravindra Jadeja: 516 runs at 86, 100×1, 50×5, seven wickets at 72.4
The oldest member of India’s squad underlined why he remains invaluable to this transitional team, scoring the fourth-most runs of the series while batting at No 6, with five scores of 50 or more in a row. Jadeja showed awareness of when to attack and when to defend, and almost each time the team needed his batting, there he was, up for a scrap. His left-arm spin was, not surprisingly, rather ineffective beyond a point on unforgiving Bazball pitches.
7/10 Washington Sundar: 284 runs at 47.3, 100×1, 50×1, seven wickets at 38.6
Handed chances in four out of five Tests, Washington’s batting was a massive bonus to India’s attempts to balance their 11. The 25-year-old slipped into the supporting role well, putting on a century stand with Gill at Edgbaston, and then got to his first Test hundred in the company of Jadeja at Old Trafford as India salvaged a draw. At The Oval, his clean hitting in a last-wicket stand of 39 proved huge. Took some handy wickets with his offspin but needs to be backed more by his captain.
9/10 Mohammed Siraj: 23 wickets at 32.4, BB 6/70
The only Indian pacer who featured in all five Tests, Siraj ended as the leading wicket-taker of the series and bowled the most overs. Began on a tough note in Leeds, where England’s to order took him on, but Siraj rebounded brilliantly at Edgbaston with 6/70 in the home team’s first innings. Unlucky not to have more wickets – three catches went down on day one at Lord’s – but was always at the batsmen, hustling in one largely unforgiving surfaces. Fittingly, Siraj claimed five wickets, including the last out on that epic final day at The Oval, after dropping Harry Brook on 19 the day before.
7/10 Jasprit Bumrah: 14 wickets at 26, BB 5/74
Played three of five Tests, as he said he would, and finished as India’s joint second-highest wicket-taker with 14. Of Bumrah’s 14 wickets, six were of England’s top six and the other eight the tail. Loses points for not being able to take early wickets. He did very well to come back and break partnerships but will probably admit in private that he could have done more with the new ball. Bumrah batted doggedly with Jadeja at Lord’s before playing a needless hoick.
5/10 Prasidh Krishna: 14 wickets at 37.1, BB 4/62
Played three matches and matched Bumrah with 14 wickets. Whether by choice or under the team management’s instructions, Prasidh was all over the place with his short-pitched plan at Headingley, where his first 20 overs cost 128 runs and all three wickets were gifted. Was overshadowed by Siraj and Akash Deep in Birmingham, but finished his tour on a high at The Oval with eight wickets of which four came in England’s chase.
5/10 Akash Deep: 13 wickets at 36.5, BB 6/99
Got his chance in the second Test and should have been Player of the Match for taking 10 wickets, including his first five-for. Oddly, was very off colour in the next match and also India’s most expensive bowler at Lord’s. Missed the fourth Test with a niggle. Returned for the decider and took two wickets across 37 overs, with both wickets in the match down to Ben Duckett and Brook’s over-aggression. Did wow the fans with the bat at The Oval, scoring an impactful maiden Test fifty as nightwatchman during India’s first innings.
