PLAYER RATINGS: Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar star as India come out on top

The Cricketer runs the rule over the individual performances of both sets of players during the T20I series between India and England in Ahmedabad

INDIA

Virat Kohli (5 matches, 231 runs, average 115.5)

Two failures, three unbeaten half centuries. Once he was settled, India’s captain looked imperious, playing at his own tempo and allowing those around him to make hay. He dealt himself a challenging hand as captain, losing four tosses and – until the last game – giving himself just five bowling options.

A-

KL Rahul (4 matches, 15 runs, average 3.75)

A bad time to be struck by poor form, Rahul endured an abject series: one run in his first three games and a struggle to 14 in the fourth T20I. He was put out of his misery ahead of the decider, with Kohli stepping into his role. As the fearless new faces outshone him, he could do with a strong IPL.

E

Shikhar Dhawan (1 match, 4 runs, average 4)

Only played the first game and was well short of his best before aiming an ugly hack at Mark Wood. Hard to see how he reclaims his spot, amid so much young talent.

E

Rohit Sharma (3 matches, 91 runs, average 30.33)

You’d do well to keep Rohit quiet for an entire series – an unfortunate truth that England found to their detriment on Saturday. Having kept him in check through the pace of Jofra Archer and Wood beforehand, the classy opener unleashed. On commentary, Dinesh Karthik warned that Rohit meant business when driving powerfully down the ground. His quickfire 64 ultimately proved decisive.

B

^{Hardik Pandya's return to bowling was encouraging for India}

Shreyas Iyer (5 matches, 121 runs, average 40.33)

One of several quality young players to enhance their reputations during the last week, Iyer gave India a chance – albeit in defeat – with 67 in the opening game. Thereafter, he was used in a variety of roles, but his 18-ball 37 in the fourth match highlighted his malleability as a finishing option.

B

Suryakumar Yadav (3 matches, 89 runs, average 44.5)

From the moment he hit his first ball as an international cricketer for six, Yadav made it clear that he meant business. Unfortunate only to play in three games, and even more so only to bat twice, he announced himself in fine style. There are few more gorgeous strokes in existence than depositing spin for six over extra cover – the 30-year-old did so at will.

A-

Ishan Kishan (2 matches, 60 runs, average 30)

Another huge talent, who made a mockery of England’s total in the second T20I – his international debut. He was unfortunate to be pushed away from the opening spots subsequently in order to facilitate Rohit’s return. An injury niggle ended his series early, but we will be seeing plenty more of the Mumbai Indians batsman.

B+

Rishabh Pant (5 matches, 102 runs, average 25.5)

All told, England will have been relieved by how they mostly kept the left-hander in check. Given his exploits in the final Test a week earlier, they might have been forgiven for fearing the worst. But he never passed 30 in four innings and a strike rate of 129.11 was lower than that of eight of his colleagues. He kept wicket nicely.

B-

Eoin Morgan expects to be without multiformat stars during summer T20Is

Hardik Pandya (5 matches, 86 runs, average 28.66, 3 wickets, economy 6.94)

Like Pant, struggled to clear the ropes as consistently as in the IPL, though still hit five fours and six sixes in just 61 balls across the series. It was with the ball, in fact, where he was more impressive – and where India will have been most pleased. Despite only taking three wickets, he was one of only two bowlers across both sides to concede his runs at under seven per over. If he remains fit, he balances India’s side perfectly.

B+

Washington Sundar (5 matches, 7 runs, average 7, 4 wickets, economy 8.9)

The off-spinner often bowled difficult overs in the powerplay but he emerged from the series in credit, taking key wickets and standing up well for the most part when faced with England’s right-handers. His battle with Dawid Malan became an intriguing subplot. A worthy backup to Ravindra Jadeja in this format.

C+

Shardul Thakur (5 matches, 10 runs, average 10, 8 wickets, economy 9.69)

The leading wicket-taker on either side and a wholehearted cricketer, Thakur’s biggest quality – so said Kohli at the conclusion of the series – is his unwavering belief. He was expensive but played a crucial role against England’s line of left-handers in the middle order, hiding the ball wide of their off-stump with an array of cutters.

B

Axar Patel (1 match, 7 runs, N/A average, 0 wickets, economy 8)

England certainly fared better against Axar than in the preceding Tests, when he proved almost  unplayable at times.

D

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5 matches, 4 wickets, economy 6.38)

The man of the match in the decider and arguably should have been the player of the series. In a five-game contest between two hulking batting line-ups, the seamer was consistently difficult to get away, swinging the ball early and denying England the fast starts upon which their game is based.

A-

Yuzvendra Chahal (3 matches, 3 wickets, economy 9.91)

England haven’t always played Chahal as well as this, but their commitment to targeting the leg-spinner led to India leaving out the man who is so often a trump card through the middle overs.

C-

Rahul Chahar (2 matches, 2 wickets, economy 9.71)

Chahal’s replacement fared little better but took the crucial wicket of Jonny Bairstow with England on the charge in the fourth encounter. His action, coming through-and-over on occasion, is a pleasing rarity in the professional game.

C-

T Natarajan (1 match, 1 wicket, economy 9.75)

The left-armer was handed the toughest task of coming in for the highest-scoring game of the series on the flattest pitch. Malan took a liking to him, but he was far from alone in going the journey.

D

^{Virat Kohli was named as player of the series}

ENGLAND

Jason Roy (5 matches, 144 runs, average 28.8)

Having come into the series under some pressure, Roy ended it as England’s third-highest run-scorer, putting to bed doubts over his immediate future, albeit without contributing a match-defining innings. Turning to his reverse-sweep wasn’t always successful but he appeared closer to his best than in the recent past.

B

Jos Buttler (5 matches, 172 runs, average 43)

The debate will run and run over whether opening the batting is where Buttler is best suited and, more pertinently, where England benefit most from his talent. On this evidence, it remains hard to argue with the logic; his unbeaten 83 in the third match eased his country to a comfortable victory. And in India, where exploiting the powerplay overs is essential, there is no one better placed to take advantage.

B+

Dawid Malan (5 matches, 148 runs, average 37)

A quiet series for the world’s top-ranked T20I batsman until he came alive in the decider. For all the external discussion over Malan’s slow starts, Eoin Morgan insisted that there has been no such chat within the squad. And with 11 half centuries in 24 innings, it is hard to argue with the left-hander’s methods; no one in T20I history has reached 1,000 runs faster.

B-

Jonny Bairstow (5 matches, 118 runs, 39.33)

Four scores between 20 and 40 for Bairstow, who continues to flourish on his return to England’s T20I middle order, having thrived beforehand in the powerplay until Buttler was preferred in the role. He seems a natural fit for the job he is being asked to do – a brutal hitter of spin and a terrific runner between the wickets.

B-

Eoin Morgan (5 matches, 33 runs, average 11)

One of those strange series for Morgan, where the England captain just never got going with the bat – Thakur enjoyed success by hiding the ball wide of his off-stump. As captain, his decision to hand the new ball to Adil Rashid proved inspired, and so he was chuffed – despite a series defeat – to have found an answer to previous issues in the bowling powerplay.

D

^{What is Ben Stokes' best role in T20 cricket?}

Ben Stokes (5 matches, 84 runs, average 28, 3 wickets, economy 8.83)

Whether England know quite how best to utilise Stokes as a T20 cricketer is still uncertain. His best IPL form has come at the top of the order – or at the very least when coming to the crease early on. In this series, it felt a bit harum-scarum when he was in the middle, swinging hard but struggling to conquer the variations of India’s seamers. That said, for a brief moment, he looked like taking England home to victory in the fourth game.

C

Sam Curran (5 matches, 23 runs, 23 average, 2 wickets, economy 7.8)

A strange series for Curran, whose role was never entirely clear. He felt like a spare part at times: used rarely with the ball and never mastering the job of finishing the innings from No.7. Whether he is as natural in that position as Moeen Ali remains questionable. He never gave less than everything, though, coming out swinging in the fifth match and operating at different stages with the ball.

C-

Chris Jordan (5 matches, 23 runs, 11.5 average, 4 wickets, economy 10.51)

Expensive with the ball, Jordan’s skills were significantly tested by India’s batsmen. An overall economy rate of 10.51 – the second-highest in the series – will be of some concern to Morgan and coach Chris Silverwood. In the field, there remain few better on earth – his catch in the final game was the latest on his exceptional showreel.

C-

Jofra Archer (5 matches, 19 runs, 19 average, 7 wickets, economy 7.75)

His side’s leading wicket-taker and hugely skilful throughout. A troublesome elbow has ruled him out of the forthcoming ODI series and, ahead of a huge winter, England will be desperate to find a way of protecting his fitness. He was the only one of Morgan’s men to bowl 20 out of 20 overs, while his economy rate was England’s lowest.

B+

^{Sam Curran was a bit-part player for England}

Tom Curran (1 match, 0 wickets, economy 13)

A tough ask to replace Mark Wood, yet Curran struggled in his solitary outing. He has a big opportunity with Delhi Capitals at the IPL but will be looking over his shoulder ahead of the T20 World Cup.

E

Adil Rashid (5 matches, 4 wickets, economy 7.78)

After Rashid Khan, surely the world’s leading white-ball leg-spinner? Rashid was superb, offering England control in and out of the powerplay with his variations and tremendous control. He so rarely bowls a poor delivery and his contest with Kohli highlighted what a fine cricketer he has become.

B+

Mark Wood (4 matches, 5 wickets, economy 8.06)

Barring the punishment he took in the final game, watching Wood steaming in was a pleasure. He was rapid, only missing the second game with a bruised heel almost certainly caused by the sheer strain placed on his body by a desire to tear into India’s top order. His dismissal of Rahul, thudding into the opener’s middle stump, was perhaps his crowning glory.

B+

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