Indian Player Ratings from their runner-up campaign at 2023 World Cup ft. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli
Team India endured a heartbreaking end to an otherwise sensational 2023 World Cup campaign, losing to Australia by six wickets in the grand finale in Ahmedabad on November 19.
Despite a Rohit Sharma onslaught in the first powerplay, India put on a tepid batting display overall, resulting in a mediocre 240 in their 50 overs.
The bowling followed a similar pattern, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami steaming in and picking up three Aussie wickets in the first seven overs. However, that was India's last bit of joy in the tournament as Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne put together a match-winning 192-run fourth-wicket partnership.
While the former scored a sparkling 137 off 120 deliveries, the latter played perfect second fiddle with an unbeaten 58.
Despite the disappointing result in the final, the 2011 world champions gave their fans several moments of joy over the course of the tournament. They won 10 consecutive games and were unbeaten until the summit clash.
With that in mind, let us look at India's player ratings for the 2023 World Cup campaign.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli & Mohammed Shami light up the tournament, Suryakumar Yadav disappoints
Rohit Sharma: 9.5/10
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was a breath of fresh air with the bat, launching an all-out attack on the opposition bowlers during the first powerplay. His quickfire knocks laid the ideal platform for the more traditional batters to get their eye in and produce big scores.
Rohit became the leading centurion in World Cup history, with seven, during his magnificent 131 against Afghanistan. Rohit also became the first batter in tournament history to smash more than 50 sixes.
With 597 runs at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94, Rohit became the first batter to surpass 500 runs in successive ODI World Cups. The champion batter also recorded the most runs by a captain in a single World Cup, surpassing Kane Williamson's tally in 2019.
Apart from opening the batting with incredible success, Rohit Sharma also led the side proactively. He is the first Indian captain to win 10 matches in a single World Cup edition.
Shubman Gill: 7/10
Rohit Sharma's opening partner, Shubman Gill, entered the World Cup as the most accomplished ODI batter in 2023. However, illness sidelined him in India's first two games, against Australia and Afghanistan.
Gill struggled to get going upon his return, with a lone half-century in four innings. He slowly played himself into form with a 92 and 51 against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands, respectively.
The stylish batter scored a valuable 80* off 66 in India's semi-final win over New Zealand but could muster only four runs in the grand finale.
While an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 106.94 in the tournament are pretty good, Gill had set the bar sky-high with his other-worldly 2023 that saw him rise to No.1 in the ODI rankings. By that metric, the youngster would be disappointed to have had no three-figure scores in the tournament.
Nevertheless, Gill displayed plenty of promise for someone playing his first-ever World Cup, and Team India would look toward the batter to help them cross the line in upcoming ICC events.
Virat Kohli: 9.5/10
No number of superlatives would suffice to describe Virat Kohli's 2023 World Cup campaign with the bat. Playing his fourth ODI World Cup, the 35-year-old brought all his experience and expertise into play, churning out runs and centuries for fun.
Kohli finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer, with 765 runs at an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31. The champion batter smashed three centuries and six half-centuries in 11 games, including a 113-ball 117 against New Zealand in the semi-final.
He also completed his much-awaited 50th ODI century, becoming the first cricketer to reach the landmark, during his knock in the semi-final. Kohli's final tally is also the most runs scored in a single World Cup edition, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's 673 in 2003.
While the World Cup ended in tears for King Kohli, he would be mighty pleased with his heroics in the first 10 matches.
Shreyas Iyer: 8/10
It was a tale of two halves in the World Cup for Shreyas Iyer. He copped plenty of criticism at the start of the tournament before scripting a remarkable turnaround.
Iyer scored just half-century, against Pakistan, in India's first six games, raising questions about his place in the playing XI. However, Iyer responded to the skeptics by smashing 82 and 77 in the next two outings.
He raised his game further with a destructive 128* off 94 against the Netherlands and a crucial 105 off 70 in the semi-final. The middle-order batter is only the third Indian cricketer to score consecutive centuries in a single ODI World Cup after Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma.
Although Iyer missed out against the Aussies in the final, he finished the tournament with an impressive 530 runs at an average of 66.25 and a strike rate of 113.24.
KL Rahul: 9/10
Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was India's unsung hero during the 2023 World Cup both in front of and behind the stumps.
Rahul bailed India out of a hole in a 200-run chase against Australia in their opening game, with an unbeaten 97 off 115 balls. Rahul's time at the crease during the tournament was limited thanks to the sublime form of the top four batters, but he made telling contributions when the opportunities presented themselves.
The stylish batter scored the fastest ODI World Cup century by an Indian, off 62 balls, in their final league-stage outing against the Netherlands. Rahul was also the team's top-scorer in the grand finale, with a patient 66 off 107 deliveries.
Rahul quashed any claims about his ability to perform in key events, with 452 runs at an average of over 75 and a 90+ strike rate. He also took 16 catches behind the stumps and was often the calm head that helped India make the right decisions concerning DRS reviews.
Suryakumar Yadav: 2/10
Suryakumar Yadav was arguably India's most disappointing performer of the 2023 World Cup. While his selection in the squad raised several eyebrows, the team management backed the explosive batter to come good in the crucial games.
Suryakumar warmed the benches during the initial stages of the tournament before coming in for the injured Hardik Pandya at No. 6. However, a crucial 49 against England notwithstanding, the swashbuckling batter did not cross 22 in his other six innings.
Suryakumar's golden opportunity to justify his presence went begging in the final. He scored a painstaking 18 off 28 deliveries that failed to take India to a par total.
With an average of 17.66 in seven games, Suryakumar Yadav's ODI credentials continue to be the subject of scrutiny.
Ravindra Jadeja: 8/10
India's premier all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, flew under the radar during the World Cup despite admirable performances with both bat and ball.
While the 5/33 against South Africa was his lone headline-worthy showing, the 34-year-old constantly kept a lid on the scoring and picked up timely wickets. Jadeja finished with 16 wickets in 11 games at an excellent average of 24.87 and a miserly economy of 4.25.
He also added some valuable runs with the bat at No. 7, scoring 120 runs at an average of 40 and a 100+ strike rate.
Mohammed Shami: 9.5/10
Pacer Mohammed Shami was the star of India's bowling throughout the World Cup, picking up wickets at will. He finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with a remarkable 24 scalps in seven games.
While it is unimaginable that the speedster was not part of the playing XI in India's first four games, Shami more than made up for lost time in the next seven matches. His first three bowling stints at the World Cup saw the champion bowler pick up one four-wicket and two five-wicket hauls.
His best performance was the astonishing 7/57 against New Zealand in the semi-final. That performance almost single-handedly helped India overcome the stubborn Kiwi resistance and qualify for the final.
Shami also became India's leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cups with 55, and his seven-wicket spell is the best figures by an Indian bowler in the 50-over format. With a bowling average of just over 10, including three five-wicket hauls, Shami was undoubtedly the bowler of the tournament.
Kuldeep Yadav: 7.5/10
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav did his reputation no harm by providing India with crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs of the innings. While he could not pick up too many wickets in the semi-final and final, the 28-year-old finished with an enviable 15 scalps in 11 games.
Despite not getting more than three wickets in any of the games, Kuldeep consistently produced timely dismissals and economical spells during India's outings. He also produced one of the deliveries of the tournament, castling Jos Buttler with a peach in India's massive win against England.
Jasprit Bumrah: 9/10
India's spearhead with the new-ball, Jasprit Bumrah, consistently set the tone with the ball, similar to skipper Rohit Sharma in batting.
With impeccable discipline and penetration at all stages of the innings, the 29-year-old finished as the tournament's fourth-leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps at an average of under 19.
Bumrah's economy rate of 4.06 was the best in the competition among bowlers who took at least ten wickets. Despite the disappointing end, he was India's best bowler in the final, with figures of 2/43 in nine overs.
Mohammed Siraj: 5/10
Entering the 2023 World Cup, Mohammed Siraj had been India's best pacer in ODIs this year. His performance in the Asia Cup final further enhanced his reputation as arguably the best new-ball bowler in the world.
Considering those lofty standards, Siraj was underwhelming in the tournament, lacking rhythm and consistency in most games. Although the 14 wickets in 11 matches at a 33.68 average do not make for sorry reading, they also fail to reveal his lack of impact.
The 29-year-old had a few memorable moments, his second spell against Pakistan being one and the opening burst against Sri Lanka the other. However, Siraj was dismal when India needed him the most, in the semi-final and final; he returned combined figures of 2/123 in 16 overs.
Hardik Pandya: 6/10
Pace-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya was expected to be India's most valuable player of the World Cup. However, an unfortunate ankle injury during the Bangladesh outing cut short his World Cup campaign.
The 30-year-old barely had a hit with the bat but picked up five wickets in his three full outings at an impressive average of 22.60.
Hardik's absence did not cost India much until the final, due to the imperious form of the others. However, his partnership-breaking ability could have proved invaluable in the summit clash against Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin: 6/10
India's 11th-hour selection into the World Cup squad, Ravichandran Ashwin, featured only in their opening game against Australia. The veteran spinner helped India restrict the Aussies to 199 with a miserly spell of 1/34 in ten overs.
While there were talks about his possible inclusion in the final, the think tank stuck with the players who had been in excellent form.
However, Travis Head's match-winning knock left fans wondering if Ashwin's impressive record against left-handers could have made a difference in the outcome.
Shardul Thakur: 3/10
Pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur had an unenviable World Cup, playing in only the first three of India's 11 games. The 32-year-old picked up only two wickets at a dismal average of 51, while traveling at a run-a-ball.
With the injury to Hardik Pandya, Team India was forced to replace Thakur with a sure-shot 10-over bowler in Mohammed Shami, and the move worked wonders for the side.
Ishan Kishan: 5/10
Perhaps the unluckiest member of the Indian World Cup squad was wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. Playing as an opener in the first two games for Shubman Gill, the southpaw registered a duck in his maiden World Cup innings against Australia.
However, the 25-year-old scored a brisk 47 in his second outing against Afghanistan. That was Kishan's final game of the tournament, with Suryakumar Yadav being preferred in the lower middle order for the injured Hardik Pandya.
With the ability to bat at the top and middle order and being the lone left-hander in India's top six, Kishan's lack of playing time in ODIs remains baffling.