India vs West Indies, 2016: Rating all Indian cricketers in the 4-Test series
When they landed in the Caribbean, expectations were firmly upon the young Indian team to assert their dominance against a struggling West Indies unit. Armed with a new head coach in Anil Kumble, they looked forward to a new era.
The action began at a stadium named after the iconic Sir Viv Richards where India announced their intentions by going in with five specialist bowling options and registered an emphatic innings victory (their biggest outside Asia).
With West Indies conceding a massive 304-run lead at Sabina Park, things seemed to be unraveling pretty quickly. However, an unexpected rearguard from Roston Chase and company denied them a second successive triumph.
But, normalcy was restored as the visitors worked on their shortcomings and returned to take an unassailable lead in St Lucia. Needing another win to retain the number one ranking, they were left frustrated with insufficient drainage facilities at Port of Spain which led to a farcical end to the proceedings.
Let us take a look at how each Indian player fared in the 2-0 series victory.
Ravichandran Ashwin – 8.5
Named Man of the Series, the Tamil Nadu all-rounder enjoyed a fruitful run by contributing in both departments of the game. Faced with questions surrounding his menace outside Asia, the off-spinner delivered impressive spells and highlighted the versatile craftsman in him.
However, it was Ashwin, the batsman, who came into his own by being reliable in different situations. Whether it is at 236/4 or 87/4, the 29-year old repaid the team management’s faith with two centuries. Perhaps, the only flaw in his series was the surprising lack of impact during the third innings of the second Test wherein he could not produce the goods on a slow and sluggish track.
Ajinkya Rahane – 8
One of the most adaptable Test batsmen in the current circuit, Rahane continued to show his class with another productive outing. Aside from the fact that he scored 243 runs at an average of 121.50, his steadfast innings ensured a timely declaration and a comfortable victory in St Lucia.
KL Rahul – 7.5
After being seen as a backup option for quite some time, Rahul went a long way in sealing a spot for himself at the top of the order. Presented with an opportunity when Murali Vijay was injured, the elegant right-hander responded with a 158 in Jamaica. The notable aspect of his performance was that he scored at a fair pace which should endear him to the think tank.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 7.5
Having been on the fringes for more than a year, the swing bowler displayed his utility to the team’s cause with a rousing spell which broke the back of West Indies’ batting lineup in St Lucia. Not giving too much away, Bhuvneshwar sustained the pressure by operating at a consistent line and reaped the rewards.
Virat Kohli – 7
Although he began the tour by leading from the front with an imperious 200 in Antigua, the star batsman could not maintain his consistency and managed only 51 runs from the next three innings. However, Kohli’s captaincy was unswervingly positive right throughout which also made him the first Indian skipper to win two Tests in a series in the Caribbean.
Wriddhiman Saha – 7
Safe behind the stumps as ever, Saha’s confidence gradually grew on the batting front. When his team was in a spot of bother in St Lucia, the gritty customer reached three figures for the first time in the international arena.
Mohammed Shami – 6.5
Coming back from a major knee injury which kept him out of action for a long time, Shami got into his groove almost immediately by delivering crucial spells in the first and third Tests. Ending up as the second highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps, the seam bowler completed a smooth return to the longest format.
Ravindra Jadeja – 6
After being overlooked for the first two matches, Jadeja replaced Amit Mishra in St Lucia and played the supporting role to perfection. While Bhuvneshwar hunted for wickets at the other end, the metronomic left-arm spinner dried up the run-flow and induced mistakes from the opposition batsmen.
Amit Mishra – 5.5
Despite having a knack for prising out key wickets from nowhere, Mishra largely did not hold any sway over a West Indies batting unit which has been seeing leg-spin like kryptonite. A lackluster showing in Sabina Park was the result of bowling well within himself and not generating adequate fluidity.
Umesh Yadav – 5.5
Capable of going from spectacular to hideous in the matter of minutes, Umesh started with a bang by cleaning out the tail in the opening encounter. But, he proved too expensive in the second Test and subsequently lost his place.
Ishant Sharma – 5
Being the most experienced member in the team, Ishant could not quite live up to expectations and managed to pick only eight wickets. With the pitches not conducive enough for his style of bowling, he even attempted to shy away from his natural back of length deliveries.
Shikhar Dhawan – 4.5
Despite showing promise with a handy 84 on the opening day in Antigua, the attacking left-hander struggled to get going in the ensuing occasions. With a heavy competition for the opening slots, Dhawan would want to bring a bit more stability to his game.
Cheteshwar Pujara – 4
Following a strange dismissal off a long-hop in Antigua, Pujara tried to do what he does best – dig in and tire the bowlers. However, he was not able to up the scoring rate as his innings proceeded and eventually fell out of favour with the think tank.
Rohit Sharma – 4
Brought into the eleven in St Lucia to score at a lively clip, Rohit's tryst with the red-ball did not seem to flourish. When the situation demanded patience, the stroke-maker failed to curb his instinctive methods and poked at an inviting delivery. Even though he played a good hand in the second innings, doubts relating to his temperament refused to cease.
Murali Vijay – 3.5
After being struck on the thumb by a rising one from Shannon Gabriel on the opening day of the tour, he did not get another opportunity to bat due to a combination of injury and misfortune.