A spirited Indian team produced one of their most remarkable comebacks in Test cricket to defeat England by six runs in the Oval Test and draw the series 2-2 after five closely contested matches, all of which went into the final day.
Not many gave Shubman Gill's new-look Indian team a chance when they left for England, but the young turks came up with gritty performances right through the series to finish on level terms.
Gill led the way with the bat with a record-breaking tally of 754 runs, with K L Rahul standing up with 532 runs and Ravindra Jadeja also made a major contribution to tally more than 500 runs.
Mohammed Siraj emerged as India's bowling star overshadowing even the mercurial Jasprit Bumrah as both his five wicket hauls resulted in India's victories.
How the Indian players fared in England:
K L Rahul (9/10)
Rahul enjoyed his finest-ever performance in a Test series.
The senior pro turned a new leaf with his batting, delivering consistent performances throughout the England Test series. Not only did he pile on the runs, but he also proved to be the guiding light for the young Indian batting line-up in a tough series.
He started with a century in the series opener in Headingley and hit another in the third Test at Lord's, while scoring two fifties at Edgbaston and Old Trafford.
The only disappointment for him in the series was his twin failures in the final Test at the Oval, where he tallied just 21 runs in two innings.
Rahul finished with 532 runs in five Tests at an average of 53.20 -- the third highest tally by a batter in the series.
Along with his consistent batting, Rahul was dependable with his catching in the slips and also guided young captain Shubman Gill during crucial junctures in the series.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (8/10)
Jaiswal started and ended the series in style, with two fine centuries.
However, he struggled to maintain consistency, with his batting dipping sharply in the middle of the series. The young left-hander was out for ducks in successive Tests as he went through a phase in which he managed 71 runs across five innings.
However, Jaiswal bounced back in commanding style with 118 to lead India's superb comeback in the second innings of the Oval Test.
He amassed 411 runs in 10 innings, with two centuries and as many fifties.
Shubman Gill (10/10)
Gill endured a tough baptism to captaincy in one of the most closely fought series witnessed in the history of Test cricket.
Despite the pressures of leading India in such a high-profile series, Gill never let the burden of captaincy impact his batting. In fact, it seemed to bring out the best of him as a batter.
He made a thumping statement with a cracking innings of 147 in his first ever innings as Test captain. He then slammed a career-best 269 in the first innings at Birmingham and followed it up with 169 in the second to power India to a massive 336 run victory which helped them level the series at 1-1.
Another century in the fourth Test in Manchester saw Gill create history as the first-ever batter to hit four centuries in his debut series as captain.
He failed in both innings of the Oval Test but still finished with a huge tally of 754 runs at an average of 75.40 -- narrowly missing out on breaking Sunil Gavaskar's record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a Test series (774 runs against the West Indies in 1970-1971).
Gill's inexperience of captaincy did show up at times during the series, but he left everyone impressed with his calm and composed demeanour during the all-important Oval Test.
Sai Sudharsan (4/10)
Sai Sudharsan came into the England series with a lot of hype after his impressive batting displays in the IPL. But the young left-hander found Test cricket a tough challenge and failed to make an impact in the series.
Apart from a lone half-century (61), Sudharsan failed to make it count in the other five innings despite batting on flat pitches.
England also seemed to discover a weakness in his batting, dismissing him a few times by targetting the leg stump line.
He managed just 140 runs in six innings at an average of 23.33.
There is no doubting Sudharsan's potential, but the selectors need to ensure that he plays a couple of seasons of Ranji Trophy to develop his batting in red ball cricket.
Karun Nair (5/10)
Nair was a surprise inclusion for the England Tests ahead of the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan. But to be fair, he forced the hands of the selectors with his record-breaking run with the bat across formats in domestic cricket.
However, his comeback to Test after a long wait of eight years didn't go to plan as the 33 year old failed to make most of the rare opportunity. Not that he didn't look in form or struggled for runs, but the veteran batter was guilty of throwing away starts as he missed out on making most of the flat pitches.
After failing at No. 6 in the first Test, he replaced Sudharsan at No. 3 but there also he couldn't struggled to make an impact.
He was dropped for the fourth Test in Manchester before making a comeback at the Oval where he scored a fifty (57) on a tough pitch on the opening day but fell for 17 in the second innings in batting-friendly conditions.
Having managed just 205 runs at an average of 25.62 including just one fifty, it is difficult to see Karun getting another chance at the highest level.
Rishabh Pant (10/10)
Pant set the series on fire with his blazing batting.
Pant's batting pyrotechnics not only thrilled Indian fans but also had English fans on their feet, showering admiration on the Indian genius.
The 27 year old started the series in grand fashion with two centuries in the first Test at Headingley to become only the second wicket-keeper in the history of Tests to achieve the feat.
The left-hander had the England bowlers running for cover with his unorthodox approach as he slammed three successive fifties in the next three Tests.
However, an unfortunate injury in the Manchester Test cut short his thrilling ride with the bat. But he won hearts with his brave batting display when he came out to bat at Old Trafford despite suffering a toe fracture and went on to stroke a half-century.
Pant amassed 479 runs at 68.42 at an incredible strike rate of 77.63, hitting two centuries and three fifties in seven innings.
Ravindra Jadeja (8/10)
Jadeja the batter was in full flow in the series even if he couldn't make an impact with the ball.
The all-rounder left many of the top order batters in his stride as he amassed 516 runs in the five Tests -- with only Gill, Rahul and Joe Root the only other batters go past the 500 run mark.
His unbeaten century (103) in Manchester helped India bat out the final day of the fourth Test and hold on to a creditable draw to stay alive in the series.
Jadeja, who hit five fifties and a century, bettered the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers's 59-year-old record by recording the most 50-plus scores (six) by a batter at No. 6 or lower in a Test series in England.
With the ball, Jadeja was below-par with just seven wickets at an average of 72.42.
Washington Sundar (8/10)
Washington made most of his chances as he contributed with both bat and ball to underline his importance to the Test team.
Sundar gave Jadeja good support with his maiden century in Manchester to play a crucial role in drawing the Test while his blistering half-century (53) in the second innings in The Oval Test proved to be a game-turning knock as India won a narrow victory.
The left-hander finished with 284 runs in four Tests at an average of 47.33, while picking up four wickets with the ball.
Mohammed Siraj (10/10)
Siraj breathed fire with the ball, knocking out England with a fiery spell on the final day at The Oval.
Siraj was a tireless workhorse in England, playing all five Tests, as he sent down as many as 185.3 overs in the series while picking up a series high of 23 wickets.
He took two five wicket hauls in the series -- both of which resulted in India's victory -- in Birmingham and at Lord's.
With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable in the fifth Test, Siraj took it upon himself to deliver a bowling a masterclass as he picked up nine wickets in the match.
He blew away the England lower order on the final day to pick up three quick wickets as India registered a thrilling six-run victory.
Jasprit Bumrah (8/10)
Bumrah was a class apart whenever he turned out in whites but the fans were left gasping for more as he featured in just three Test as part of his workload management.
Amazingly, India failed to win any of the three Tests which their pace spearhead featured in.
But Bumrah proved to be too hot to handle for the England batters as he picked up back to back five wicket hauls at Leeds and Lord's on docile pitches. However, he struggled with figures of 2/112 in 33 overs in Manchester.
His absence from the fifth Test did leave a big hole in the Indian bowling attack, but Siraj rose to the situation and single-handedly take his team to victory.
Bumrah finished with 14 wickets in three Tests at an average of 26 and one wonders if the result would have been different if he had played all five games.
Akash Deep (7/10)
Akash Deep sent England crumbling to defeat in Birmingham with a 10 wicket match haul in the second Test.
The pacer took a career-best 6/99 in the second innings as India powered to a massive 336 run victory.
Although he failed to sustain the momentum, managing just three wickets in the next two Tests, he played a crucial role with the bat in The Oval Test. Sent as the nightwatchman, Akash Deep exceeded all expectations with a crucial knock of 66 in India's second innings.
Prasidh Krishna (8/10)
Krishna's performances may have gone under the radar but his eight wicket match haul in the Oval Test was crucial in India's victory push.
India will regret leaving Prasidh out the team for the third and fourth Tests, as he produced an inspired spell in both innings of the final Test.
He picked up 14 wickets in three Tests to firmly stake his claimp as the preferred third seamer in the Test line-up.
Dhruv Jurel (5/10)
Jurel was reliable with the gloves when he replaced the injured Pant during the third and fourth Tests.
Although he couldn't replicate Pant's heroics with the bat when he came into the playing XI, he was involved in a crucial seventh wicket partnership with Jadeja in India's second innings at The Oval with a gritty 34.
Shardul Thakur (4/10)
Thakur had a limited role with the bat and ball. Drafted in as the all-rounder, Shardul sent down just 27 overs in the two Tests he played, picking up just two wickets.
With the bat, he made a handy 41 to help India go past the 350 run in the fourth Test in Manchester.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (3/10)
Reddy also fell by the wayside after two lacklustre performances.
After his good show in Australia much was expected of him, but the all-rounder couldn't justify his place with both bat and ball.
Primarily, a batting all-rounder he managed only 45 runs in four innings, while picking up three wickets in the Lord's Test.
Anshul Kamboj (1/10)
Bringing in Kamboj as the surprise factor backfired big time for India in the fourth Test.
The 24-year-old pacer, who made his debut in the Manchester Test, struggled with his lack of pace as he managed poor figures of 1/89 in 18 overs.
His selection over Prasidh Krishna proved to be a disaster as he struggled with the cope with demands of international cricket.
Photographs: BCCI