England vs India Test Series: Report Card of Indian Players

In yet another story of what could have been on an overseas tour, India has lost to England by a margin of 1-4 in the recently concluded 5 match Test series. While the margin of defeat might indicate that the series as a one-sided affair and worry many Indian fans, the reality was something totally in contrast to it.

Excepting the second Test at Lord's where England outplayed India completely, the other four games saw some highly intense and competitive battles take place between two of the world's best cricketing sides. However, what hurt India most was the team's inability to cash in on crunch situations and drive home the advantage from commanding positions. The Kohli-led team allowed England to get a foot in the door in tight situations, which cost them dearly.

Coming to the performances of the players, it was a case of two different sagas. While a few players rose to the occasion and stamped their authority over the game, others fared poorly and might be even ousted from the side for the coming tours.

Here's a report card of the 17 Indian players who played in the 5-match Test series.

#1 Murali Vijay-2/10

Mat: 2 Runs: 26

Things went from bad to worse for Murali Vijay in the Test series

Having done decently well in England in the past, Murali Vijay was expected to provide solid starts to the team at the top of the order. However, that was not the case to be as the man from Tamil Nadu had utterly disappointing outings in the two Tests that he played in the series.

With just 26 runs in 4 innings, Vijay accounted for an embarrassing average of 6.50 runs per innings. He looked completely out of sorts at the crease and found it difficult to play against the moving ball. The 34-year-old also recorded an unwanted pair in the second Test at Lord's, and as a result, was left out of the squad for the last three games of the series.

#2 Shikhar Dhawan-4/10

Mat: 4 Runs: 162 50s: 0 100s: 0

Shikhar Dhawan has once again failed in an overseas Test series

Shikhar Dhawan played 4 out of the 5 games of the series without much to boast about. The left-handed opener failed in providing a strong impetus to the innings at the top and has once again raised doubts over his abilities to tackle a moving ball in seaming conditions.

Despite getting starts in a few innings, Dhawan failed to capitalise and make a big score. Barring a solid 44 in the second innings of the third Test, the man from Delhi found it hard to get going on the English pitches and kept falling prey to the opposition's pace battery.

#3 KL Rahul-6.5/10

Mat: 5 Runs: 299 50s: 0 100s: 1

KL Rahul was quite spectacular in the final Test of the series

Despite not being able to stamp his authority in any of the first four games, KL Rahul was given an extended run in the final Test of the series. While the first four games saw Rahul depart after playing a few classy strokes, the 4th innings of the fifth Test showcased why the Karnataka batsman is rated so highly.

Chasing a daunting score of 464 for victory, India were staring down the barrel after losing Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli in quick succession. However, it was KL Rahul who held his ground firm at the other end and joined hands with Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant to power India to a respectable total in the 4th innings. The 26-year-old looked in ravishing touch as he took the bowlers to the cleaners and seemed to have redeemed his old self. His 149 might have come a bit too late in the series, but, would certainly do a world of good to his morale.

#4 Cheteshwar Pujara-7/10

Mat: 4 Runs: 278 50s: 1 100s: 1

Cheteshwar Pujara hit a memorable century in the fourth Test of the series

Expected to be the rock of the Indian batting unit in trying conditions, Cheteshwar Pujara might not have done full justice to his batting capabilities. After being left out of the team for the first Test, Pujara made a forgettable comeback to the team at Lord's.

However, the man from Saurashtra played a priceless knock of 72 in the third innings of the Trent Bridge Test and, along with Virat Kohli, played a crucial role in helping India achieve and indomitable lead. Pujara's best knock in the series came at Southampton when he smashed 132 in India's first innings. Much to the team's disappointment, his subsequent outings didn't amount to much.

#5 Virat Kohli-9/10

Mat: 5 Runs: 593 50s: 3 100s: 2

Virat Kohli was the stand out performer for India in the series

The England vs India series was of prime substance to one Indian batsman above all. With daunting demons and nightmares of the 2014 tour at the back of his mind, Virat Kohli took the field in England with a resolve to stake his claim as a modern-day batting colossus.

Given the champion temperament he possesses, it was no surprise as Kohli overwhelmingly overcame one of his career's major hurdles of scoring runs in England. The Indian skipper looked in pristine touch as he punished the English bowlers innings after innings. Scoring 593 runs, that included 2 stunning centuries, Kohli emerged as the top run-getter of the series and in the process, also rose to the top of ICC Test rankings for batsmen.

However, as is the case with any losing captain, Virat Kohli too, received flak for some of his decisions such as "not picking the right team" and "making the wrong choices" as the fielding captain, which let England's tail score handy runs in almost every match.

#6 Ajinkya Rahane-5/10

Mat: 5 Runs: 257 50s: 2 100s: 0

Ajinkya Rahane couldn't quite live up to the expectations

Deemed as one of India's finest players in the SENA countries, Ajinkya Rahane was expected to make substantial contributions in the middle order. But the 5-match Test series saw the Indian vice-captain faltering at crucial stages and the end tour on a disappointing note.

Scoring 257 runs in 5 games, Rahane, who is now a senior member of the squad, failed in taking the pressure off the likes of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. Apart from his 81 in the first innings of the first Test and a futile 51 in the final innings at Southampton, the Mumbaikar didn't amount to much and consequently dented India's chances of posting competitive scores in the series.

#7 Hanuma Vihari-7.5/10

Mat: 1 Runs: 56 50s: 1 Wkts: 3

Hanuma Vihari had a decent start to his Test career

Repeated failures by the Indian middle and lower order paved way for the 24-year-old's debut at Kia Oval. Vihari walked out to bat at the end of the second day and had his task cut out facing the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in a tricky period of play. The first few minutes at the crease were quite unsettling for Vihari. The right-handed batsman also had luck running in his favour when he got away with a few close calls.

The following day saw him make the most of his fortunes as he ground his way to a gritty 56, drawing applause from everyone. Vihari also proved to be the man with the golden arm when he accounted for the wickets of Joe Root, Alastair Cook and Sam Curran in England's second innings. However, he couldn't end the game on a high as he fell bait to Ben Stokes for a knot in his second stint with the bat.

#8 Dinesh Karthik-2/10

Mat: 2 Runs: 21 Catches: 5 St: 0

Dinesh Karthik's comeback to the whites didn't quite go as expected

After a superb run of batting form in domestic cricket, Dinesh Karthik was preferred over Parthiv Patel for England series. The wicket-keeper batsman carried heaps of experience in first-class cricket and was expected to deliver the goods in Wriddhiman Saha's absence.

Unfortunately, England's bowling attack proved too good for the man from Tamil Nadu as he failed in providing substance to the innings down the order. Be it for not being able to provide an able support to Virat Kohli in the 2nd innings of the first Test or for scoring two ducks in his 4 outings with the bat, Karthik caught the ire of the critics for his poor show with the bat, and consequently, lost his place to Rishabh Pant in the subsequent three games.

#9 Rishabh Pant-6.5/10

Mat: 3 Runs: 162 50s: 0 100s: 1 Cat: 15 St:0

Rishabh Pant had an eventful debut series

Deemed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Pant was chosen ahead of Dinesh Karthik for the third Test at Trent Bridge. Be it getting off the mark with a six down the ground, grabbing five catches in an innings or even reaching his maiden Test hundred with a monstrous six, Rishabh Pant had achieved several feats in his debut Test series.

Known for his flamboyance with the bat, Pant, received criticism for his lack of balance and reckless attitude at several crucial junctures in the game. With India conceding as many as 53 extras in byes and leg byes in the fifth Test, the Delhi lad's wicket-keeping abilities too came under the scanner. However, the young sensation silenced his critics with a swashbuckling 114 on the final day of the series.

#10 Hardik Pandya-6.5/10

Mat: 4 Runs: 165 50s: 1 100s: 0 Wkts: 10

Pandya was one of India's heroes in the third Test

The Test series offered a mixed bag of fortunes to Hardik Pandya. In a span of 4 games, India's upcoming all-rounder bore the brunt of the cynics and also won overwhelming accolades. While his failure to justify his role as a batsman in the team drew flak, his match-winning spell at Trent Bridge impressed cricketing experts all over.

However, given the 24-year-old's pedigree, much more was expected of him. Pandya has always been deemed as the answer to India's quest for a quality all-rounder in the longer form of the game. But, his inconsistency in the series would certainly do no good to his virtue of bankability.

#11 Ravindra Jadeja-8.5/10

Mat: 1 Runs: 99 50s: 1 Wkts: 7

Ravindra Jadeja made a superb comeback in the fifth Test

After missing out the first four games of the Test series, Ravindra Jadeja made a roaring comeback in the final encounter at Kia Oval.

In Ashwin's absence, Jadeja was picked into the side as the primary spinner. and immediately proved effective as he took the wicket of Keaton Jennings in the first innings. Jaddu, as he's popularly known, then went on to account for 4 scalps before playing a blistering knock of 86 that bailed India out of trouble in its first innings.

The game's third innings witnessed the Saurashtra lad toil away for 47 overs that reaped him 3 wickets. However, Jadeja couldn't quite manage to stay for long at the crease in the second innings and save the game for India.

#12 Ravichandran Ashwin-6/10

Mat:4 Wkts: 11 Runs: 126

Ravichandran Ashwin had a below par series

Coming into the series as one of India's most reliable weapons, Ravichandran Ashwin couldn't quite live up to the expectations that usually surround him.

While his performance on this tour was way better than any of his previous stints in England, there's always more from Ashwin that the fans expect. After a mighty impressive performance with the ball in the first Test, the man from Chennai faded away as the series progressed and failed to make an impact with his world-renowned spin bowling. Ashwin also had a poor series with the bat and accounted for just 126 runs in the 4 matches that he played.

#13 Ishant Sharma-8.5/10

Mat: 5 Wkts: 18

Ishant Sharma was India's most successful bowler in the series

The dark horse of the Indian pace bowling unit, Ishant Sharma, proved to be the most successful bowler for the visitors in the series. Taking 18 wickets in 5 games, Sharma's total tally of wickets in England reached 43 and placed him the elite company of Kapil Dev, who is the joint highest Indian wicket-taker in the country in Test cricket.

Barring the game at Lord's, where he was taken for plenty, the Delhi-born speedster maintained consistent lines and lengths throughout the series and made sure that his end was held tight by not conceding too many runs. Sharma, however, injured his ankle in the fifth Test and couldn't contribute much with the ball in the third innings of the game.

#14 Mohammed Shami-8/10

Mat: 5 Wkts: 16

Mohammed Shami put forth some decent performances in the series

For the best part of the series, Mohammed Shami was quite bankable with the ball and chipped in with timely wickets. However, the fast bowler was once again scrutinised for his tendency to bowl at the batsman's pads frequently, thereby giving away a few easy runs.

Shami also found it tough to have the luck running in his favour as there were numerous chances that were put down of his bowling. Also, the fans would relate to the fact that 28-year-old went past the batsman's edges on multiple occasions with little fortune.

In the larger picture though, Shami bowled constantly in all the 5 Tests and stood as a solid testimony to the enhancing fitness levels of the Indian fast bowlers.

#15 Jasprit Bumrah-8.5/10

Mat: 3 Wkts: 14

Jasprit Bumrah continued to impress with his pace bowling

India's recent tour of South Africa saw Jasprit Bumrah make a promising start to his Test career. The lanky pacer followed it up with consistent performances in England and impressed one and all with his exceptional bowling skills.

After missing out the first two Tests with a finger injury, Jasprit Bumrah's return in the third Test bolstered the Indian team's pace battery. Making an impact straight away, Bumrah picked up 7 wickets at Trent Bridge, including a fifer in the fourth innings, and played a crucial role in turning the game in India's favour.

The remaining two matches too witnessed Bumrah ratifying the claim that he's one of India's brightest prospects in store. The 24-year-old often started the proceedings for India with the new ball and gave some serious headaches to both the English openers.

#16 Umesh Yadav-6/10

Mat: 1 Wkts: 3

Umesh Yadav got an opportunity to play just one Test in the series

After an impressive run of form in the limited overs, Umesh Yadav got to feature in the Indian pace attack in the first match of the series. Fast and hostile, the pace bowler once again accounted for a decent performance and ended up picking 3 wickets in the 24 overs that he bowled in the match.

Unfortunately, with India ending up on the losing side, Yadav was made to make way for Kuldeep Yadav in the second game at Lord's. Also, the return of Jasprit Bumrah in the third Test virtually sealed all the spots in the pace contingent and restricted Yadav to the bench for the remainder of the series.

#17 Kuldeep Yadav-2/10

Mat: 1 Wkt: 0

Kuldeep Yadav had a forgettable outing in the second Test

After losing the first Test by a narrow margin of 31 runs, India chose to tinker the squad balance by bringing in an extra spinner in place of a fast bowler. Kuldeep Yadav, who bamboozled the English with his wily spin bowling in the limited overs series, was expected to repeat the same and prove to be an X-factor for the team.

However, the move backfired as the young spinner was completely ineffective and went wicketless in the 9 overs that he bowled in the match. The conditions at Lord's didn't help his cause either as Yadav found himself axed from the team for the remainder of the series.