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How India's players fared in the West Indies

September 04, 2019 10:13 IST

Harish Kotian's report card on the Indian team in the West Indies.

Team India

World No 1 India continued their good run in Test cricket as they whitewashed West Indies 2-0 at home.

It turned out to be a lopsided contest as Virat Kohli's side registered convincing victories in both Tests -- winning by 318 runs and 257 runs respectively.

Jasprit Bumrah was India's star performer with the ball sending the West Indies batting crashing in both games while young Hanuma Vihari starred with the bat in the two Tests, which including a maiden Test century.

Ajinkya Rahane was another consistent performer.

A look at how India's players fared in the series:

K L Rahul (3/10)

KL Rahul

Rahul missed a golden opportunity to cement his Test spot. Having being handed a Test lifeline due to Prithvi Shaw's suspension, Rahul didn't justify his inclusion.

In the first Test in North Sound, the opener got off to starts in both innings, but failed to carry on as he perished for 44 and 38, including giving his wicket away in the second innings to Roston Chase as he tried a reckless sweep shot.

In the second Test, he struggled to get going and failed in both innings, to end the series with 101 runs at an average of 25.

Mayank Agarwal (3/10)

Mayank Agarwal

Agarwal also didn't grab his opportunities. He did play a good knock of 55 in the first innings of the Jamaica Test, showing great patience to rally India after a couple of early wickets.

Other than that, he had nothing much to show for, to finish with a disappointing 80 runs in the four innings.

Cheteshwar Pujara (2/10)

Cheteshwar Pujara

A rare poor series for the normally reliable Pujara.

The India No 3 mustered just 60 runs in four innings, with a highest of 27.

Virat Kohli (7/10)

Virat Kohli

Kohli didn't live up to his usual high standards against a not-so-threatening Windies pace attack.

The captain failed to convert his two half-centuries into centuries. He scored an important 51 in the second innings of the first Test showing great restraint to repair the innings after early wickets.

He then played another crucial knock of 76 in the next game, which was crucial in India's revival after early wickets on a testing pitch in Jamaica.

Ajinkya Rahane (9/10)

Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane got back among the runs in fine style to end a barren spell.

The vice-captain, facing flak after failures in Australia, started off with a bang scoring 81 and 105 in the first Test, registering his first Test century in two years.

In the next match in Jamaica, he stroked a fluent 64 not out when India were in search of quick runs in the second innings, to finish with 271 runs from the series at an average of 90.

Hanuma Vihari (10/10)

Hanuma Vihari

Virat Kohli showed faith in Hanuma Vihari who was preferred ahead of Rohit Sharma at No 6. And the young all-rounder enjoyed a dream run to finish as one of India's best players in the series.

He was unlucky to miss out on a century in the first match when he fell for 97, but ensured that he got the landmark in the next game when he stroked a brilliant 111 for his maiden Test hundred.

A confident Vihari then stroked a brisk 53 in the second innings in Jamaica to help India maintain their superiority following a few quick wickets, putting on an unbroken stand of 111 runs for the fifth wicket with Rahane.

Vihari finished with 289 runs -- the highest in the series -- at an average of 96, with two fifties and a century.

Rishabh Pant (4/10)

Rishabh Pant

Pant struggled with the gloves especially against left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, dropping catches in both Tests. He didn't make much of an impact with the bat.

Pant finished with 58 runs from three innings at an average of 19, while taking 11 catches.

Ravindra Jadeja (8/10)

Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja's all-round abilities got him nod ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin as the lone spinner for both games. And he made most of the opportunities, faring well with both bat and ball.

Batting at No 8, the left-hander scored a vital 58 in the first innings of the first Test, taking India to a healthy 297 after they were reeling at 189/6.

He also contributed with the ball, picking up 6 wickets in the series at an average of 30, holding one end up allowing the fast bowlers to attack from the other.

Jadeja also sent down 55.2 overs, the most by an Indian bowler in the series.

Jasprit Bumrah (10/10)

Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah demolished the West Indies batting line-up in both Tests.

Bumrah ripped the Windies in the first Test taking 5/7 in 8 overs in the second innings to send the hosts crashing for a lowly 100 after they were set 419 for victory.

In the second Test, he was virtually unplayable as he took a hat-trick for dream figures of 6/27 to bowl out the West Indies for 117 and pave the way for India's 257 run win as they completed an emphatic 2-0 sweep.

Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker in the series with 15 wickets at an average of nine.

Ishant Sharma (9/10)

Ishant Sharma

Ishant keeps getting better with age.

Ishant started off the series with 5/43 to help India take a 75 run first innings lead, then grabbed three more in the next innings to help the visitors complete an easy victory.

In the second innings, he did his bit with the bat too. Batting at No 9, Ishant stroked an entertaining 57, with the help of seven fours, putting on 112 runs for the eighth wicket with Vihari, to help India cross the 400 run mark, and then took three wickets in the match.

Ishant was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series with 11 wickets at an average of 12.

Mohammed Shami (8/10)

Mohammed Shami

Shami played the supporting role to perfection.

With Ishant and Jasprit blowing away the top order with the new ball, Shami continued the good work in the latter overs and never let the Windies batsmen settle down.

Shami kept chipping away, taking at least two or more wickets in each of the four innings in the series.

He finished with nine wickets at an average of 17.

Photographs: BCCI

HARISH KOTIAN