Bhuvneshwar dragged down by the rest
India's marks out of ten after their 3-1 defeat in the Tests against England
Sidharth Monga
18-Aug-2014
7.5
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bowled his heart out. Stayed accurate and skilful. Took 19 wickets at 26.63. Scored 247 runs. Saved Trent Bridge, won Lord's. Couldn't have done much more with his physique and strength.
Bowled his heart out. Stayed accurate and skilful. Took 19 wickets at 26.63. Scored 247 runs. Saved Trent Bridge, won Lord's. Couldn't have done much more with his physique and strength.
6.5
Ishant Sharma
Rare India bowler who could cause discomfort with pace and bounce. Added accuracy and perseverance to his spirit. Won India Lord's with a hostile spell despite pain in his leg. Loses half a mark for getting injured at the wrong time. Fourteen wickets at 27.21 in three Tests.
Rare India bowler who could cause discomfort with pace and bounce. Added accuracy and perseverance to his spirit. Won India Lord's with a hostile spell despite pain in his leg. Loses half a mark for getting injured at the wrong time. Fourteen wickets at 27.21 in three Tests.
6
M Vijay
Began superbly at Trent Bridge and at Lord's, deserved a century in India's victory. Left, left and left until the bowlers bowled at him. Lost his focus in the last three Tests, a soft run-out in the second innings in Southampton his low point.
Began superbly at Trent Bridge and at Lord's, deserved a century in India's victory. Left, left and left until the bowlers bowled at him. Lost his focus in the last three Tests, a soft run-out in the second innings in Southampton his low point.
Ajinkya Rahane
Least celebrated among the India batsmen, yet their batting's backbone. His Lord's hundred took the game away from England. A little loose outside off, which he will need to watch over the rest of his career.
Least celebrated among the India batsmen, yet their batting's backbone. His Lord's hundred took the game away from England. A little loose outside off, which he will need to watch over the rest of his career.
5
MS Dhoni
Showed his specialist batsmen you don't always need a proper technique to score runs. Mental strength, discipline, hunger and bloody-mindedness can be enough. Took many a blow on his body but never gave up his wicket. Same couldn't be said of his keeping, which degenerated after Lord's. His keeping was almost poor.
Showed his specialist batsmen you don't always need a proper technique to score runs. Mental strength, discipline, hunger and bloody-mindedness can be enough. Took many a blow on his body but never gave up his wicket. Same couldn't be said of his keeping, which degenerated after Lord's. His keeping was almost poor.
Varun Aaron
Should have played when Ishant first broke down, but showed good pace and aggression despite having gone through a few stress fractures. Could be a handful if he becomes accurate and stays fit.
Should have played when Ishant first broke down, but showed good pace and aggression despite having gone through a few stress fractures. Could be a handful if he becomes accurate and stays fit.
4.5
Ravindra Jadeja
Played an important hand in the Lord's win, but remained ineffective with the ball and in the slips. His bowling will have to improve a lot for him to be seen as a Test player outside Asia.
Played an important hand in the Lord's win, but remained ineffective with the ball and in the slips. His bowling will have to improve a lot for him to be seen as a Test player outside Asia.
R Ashwin
Got only two chances, and then had to bowl with fewer than 200 on the board. Yet good signs were there: he has gone more side on, has been flighting the ball more, and has used fewer variations. Batting remains good as ever.
Got only two chances, and then had to bowl with fewer than 200 on the board. Yet good signs were there: he has gone more side on, has been flighting the ball more, and has used fewer variations. Batting remains good as ever.
3.5
Stuart Binny
A noble experiment, but shouldn't have continued for three Tests. Bowling not good enough for a bowling allrounder. Batting not much better, yet he played a part in saving Trent Bridge.
A noble experiment, but shouldn't have continued for three Tests. Bowling not good enough for a bowling allrounder. Batting not much better, yet he played a part in saving Trent Bridge.
Pankaj Singh
Desperately unlucky in his first Test but didn't bowl enough good balls for a man his pace; and didn't bowl fast enough for a man his build.
Desperately unlucky in his first Test but didn't bowl enough good balls for a man his pace; and didn't bowl fast enough for a man his build.
Cheteshwar Pujara
Got starts early in the tour but failed to convert them. Then when the starts weren't forthcoming, couldn't break out of the rut. Needs to work on his technique, get the back foot to move and the bat to come down straighter.
Got starts early in the tour but failed to convert them. Then when the starts weren't forthcoming, couldn't break out of the rut. Needs to work on his technique, get the back foot to move and the bat to come down straighter.
2
Mohammed Shami
Came to England as India's brightest fast-bowling hope. Didn't have the same zip as earlier, kept giving away loose balls down the leg side. Bowling coach Joe Dawes said he had lost his run-up. They couldn't correct it and he was dropped.
Came to England as India's brightest fast-bowling hope. Didn't have the same zip as earlier, kept giving away loose balls down the leg side. Bowling coach Joe Dawes said he had lost his run-up. They couldn't correct it and he was dropped.
Virat Kohli
India's big batting hope, the one man who could dominate once he got going. But he was exposed outside off and couldn't find a way either to hit or grind his way out of poor form. Needs work on his technique.
India's big batting hope, the one man who could dominate once he got going. But he was exposed outside off and couldn't find a way either to hit or grind his way out of poor form. Needs work on his technique.
Shikhar Dhawan
The jack in the box refused to come out. Kept being dimissed poking outside off. Was hoped to play the Sehwag kind of role; was dropped after three Tests.
The jack in the box refused to come out. Kept being dimissed poking outside off. Was hoped to play the Sehwag kind of role; was dropped after three Tests.
Rohit Sharma
Looked decent in the first innings of his only Test of the series, but threw it away with a poorly timed shot. Wasn't played again.
Looked decent in the first innings of his only Test of the series, but threw it away with a poorly timed shot. Wasn't played again.
1
Gautam Gambhir
Looked a pale shadow of the batsman he had once been, never threatening to build a longish innings. Played four innings, scored 25 runs; some said an average of 6.25 flattered him.
Looked a pale shadow of the batsman he had once been, never threatening to build a longish innings. Played four innings, scored 25 runs; some said an average of 6.25 flattered him.
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo