3 players who starred and 2 who flopped for India in the 5th Test vs England ft. Dhruv Jurel & Kuldeep Yadav
India put the exclamation point on their series win over England as they clinched the fifth and final Test by an innings and 64 runs in Dharamsala on Saturday, March 9.
Having secured a 3-1 series lead, the hosts had done enough to come out on top in the tightly contested rubber. They went one step further in the final Test as they turned in a clinical display to ensure that there are no doubts regarding where the two teams stand right now.
It was a productive outing for India, who had notable contributions from most of their players. At the same time, though, a couple of key names couldn't put forth the best versions of themselves in Dharamsala.
Here are three players who starred and two who flopped for India in the fifth Test against England.
#5 Star - Kuldeep Yadav
When Kuldeep Yadav replaced Axar Patel in India's XI, it wasn't a straightforward decision. Once the wrist-spinner entered the fray, though, he soon became undroppable. He ended the series on an excellent note in Dharamsala, the venue where he made his Test debut.
Kuldeep's magical five-fer in the first innings, where all of his victims were part of England's top six, ensured that the visitors didn't capitalize on the favorable batting conditions on Day 1. He even chipped in with a handy lower-order cameo, not his first in the series.
Kuldeep bowled plenty of magic deliveries, and most tellingly, he didn't send down many bad balls throughout his spell. That's an extremely rare feat for a wrist-spinner in red-ball cricket, and he is currently in a league of his own.
#4 Flop - Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel was the Player of the Match in Ranchi as India clinched the series with a hard-fought win. Unfortunately, the keeper-batter didn't have the best outing in the final Test.
Jurel was dismissed while trying to clear the long-on boundary, a shot that wasn't exactly on since Ben Stokes had set a rather defensive field. He would've been better off milking the ball for singles and doubles before taking risks when the opportunity presented itself.
Jurel also shelled a chance behind the stumps. While his keeping and batting were impressive for the most part in the series, he would've liked to sign off on a high.
#3 Star - R Ashwin
Playing his 100th Test, R Ashwin had all eyes on him in Dharamsala. The veteran off-spinner didn't disappoint as he finished with a match haul of nine wickets, of which five came in the second innings.
Ashwin wrapped up the tail on Day 1 to pick up four scalps. Given the new ball on Day 3, he took it one step further in a marvelous spell of bowling that yielded five wickets and ensured that his side wouldn't bat again.
Even in a series where he arguably wasn't at his best, Ashwin managed to finish as the highest wicket-taker. India must cherish him while they can.
#2 Flop - Ravindra Jadeja
Ashwin's spin partner over the years, Ravindra Jadeja, didn't necessarily have a woeful showing in Dharamsala. But he certainly didn't live up to the lofty standards he has set for himself, especially at home.
Jadeja finished the Test with just two scalps to his name even though the home spinners accounted for 18 of the 20 England wickets to fall. He had to take a backseat as Kuldeep and Ashwin did the heavy lifting.
Strangely, Jadeja didn't deliver with the bat either. He looked scratchy in the middle before being trapped in front by Tom Hartley, in a mode of dismissal that isn't too common for the all-rounder in Tests.
Nevertheless, Jadeja had a good series overall and is arguably the first name on the Indian Test teamsheet.
#1 Star - Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma's captaincy was in focus throughout the India vs England Test series, not just because of the high-stakes nature of the rubber but also because of the attention Ben Stokes' leadership commanded.
There were phases in the series when Rohit seemed to get basic calls wrong, but he had a nearly flawless Test at the helm in Dharamsala. He brought on the right bowlers at key junctures and set smart fields.
More importantly, Rohit's hundred was a masterful knock that ensured England were never in the game. He attacked intelligently, hitting 13 fours and three sixes to continue the vein of form he picked up midway through the assignment.