IND vs ENG 2021: India playing XI's report card for the 2nd Test
We witnessed another historic Indian Test win overseas as Virat Kohli's men thrashed England by 151 runs in the second Test at Lord's to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
With the match delicately poised heading into the final day, India's lower order put on match-defining partnerships before the visitors declared shortly after Lunch. England crumbled under pressure in the final two sessions of the match to be bowled out for just 120 in their second innings.
Here is the Indian playing XI's report card for the second Test against England.
IND vs ENG 2021, 2nd Test: India Player Ratings
Rohit Sharma: 7.5/10
Rohit's classy 83 in the first innings was overshadowed by his careless dismissal in the second, but the Indian opener was class personified at the crease. He has become one of India's key performers overseas and will look to build on his displays as the series progresses. A dropped catch in the slips was an aberration on a promising display overall.
KL Rahul: 8/10
Man of the Match for his brilliant hundred in the first innings, Rahul has been exceptional for India in the series. Starting off slowly before stepping on the gas, the opener played a knock for the ages. His second-innings dismissal was a bit disappointing, but he was one of the biggest stars of the Indian show.
Cheteshwar Pujara: 6.5/10
Pujara's woes continued in the first innings, but he somehow put together a gritty knock in the second. Chancing his luck and refusing to be drawn into unnecessary shots, the Indian No. 3 probably did enough to retain his place in the side. In hindsight, Pujara's 206-ball 45 was invaluable.
Virat Kohli: 6.5/10
Kohli was as aggressive as we've ever seen him. Engaging in constant chatter with the Englishmen and urging his bowlers to display pace and aggression, the skipper had the spotlight firmly on him throughout the match. His batting returns remain suspect despite some promise, and he is still without a fifty at Lord's.
Ajinkya Rahane: 6.5/10
Another under-fire player who came up with the goods in the second innings, Rahane scored a fairly fluent fifty to help India take a decent lead. India's Test vice-captain needs to use this innings as a stepping stone to bigger and better knocks.
Rishabh Pant: 7/10
Pant had a so-so game in front of the stumps, scoring 59 runs in the match with some counter-attacking strokeplay. Behind them, he was superb once again. It seems like a matter of time before we are treated to a vintage Pant blitzkrieg.
Ravindra Jadeja: 6.5/10
Jadeja's sedate 40 in the first innings copped some criticism for its lack of intent, but the left-hander once again batted well with the tail to add some valuable runs to the Indian total. He wasn't very effective with the ball and fell victim to a ripper from Moeen Ali in his second outing at the crease.
Ishant Sharma: 7.5/10
Ishant struggled to find his rhythm in some parts of the second Test after making his way into the playing XI. But once he hit his straps, he was almost unplayable. Taking five wickets in the match, generating more swing than his pace partners and scoring 24 valuable runs, the veteran was in his element at Lord's.
Mohammed Shami: 8/10
Shami's breathtaking fifty in the second innings will go down as one of the greatest knocks by a lower-order batsman in the history of Indian cricket. Apart from his exploits with the bat, he scalped three important wickets and kept things tight whenever called upon.
Jasprit Bumrah: 8/10
Bumrah had only three wickets to show for in the match, but India's lead spearhead was the instigator behind many on-field battles. A fiery spell to Jimmy Anderson, the crucial wickets of Joe Root and Ollie Robinson in the second innings and a superb rearguard knock against the aggressive English quicks were the highlights of an incredibly impactful display.
Mohammed Siraj: 9/10
Playing in only his seventh Test, Siraj was the most successful bowler with eight wickets. He bowled with pace, aggression and accuracy to dislodge the English lower order in the second innings, picking up wickets in pairs to severely dent the hosts' momentum. The 27-year-old has evolved into one of India's most dangerous bowlers in the Test format.