India's Limited-Overs Report Card Of England

After an abysmal run in the 1-3 Test loss, the Indian team showed their true mettle in coloured clothing when they reversed the Test result, winning the rain-hit five-match ODI series 3-1. India's win in the ODI series against a side not known to be a force in the limited-overs encounter wasn't surprising given their superiority in the format. However, Twenty20 followers would feel that India's three-run loss against an eighth-ranked England side shouldn't be an ideal way to end a largely disappointing tour for India.

Gocricket.com has analysed the individual performances of the Indian players in the five-match series and the one-off T20I. Here is the report card.

Rohit Sharma: 7/10

Played responsibly in his only knock of the ODI series before injuring himself. One of the major positives in his 87-ball 52 at Cardiff was the restrained approach he showed while facing quality new-ball bowling. He was willing to bide his time in the middle and let a more enterprising partner, Ajinkya Rahane on this occasion, take charge. He was dismissed just before promising a bigger knock. A fit and in-form Rohit Sharma will auger well for Team India as the lead-up to the 2015 World Cup builds.

Shikhar Dhawan: 6/10

His match-winning 97 not out looked the odd-one-out innings in the five matches he played (four ODIs, one T20I). More often than not, Dhawan repeated the same mistakes he made in the Tests – getting out to balls outside off stump and playing one shot too many after getting set. Dhawan was more looking to thump and muscle the ball instead of just timing it well. His unbeaten knock in the fourth ODI at Edgbaston showed why he is such a dangerous batsmen and oppositions will continue to target him. A player who feeds off success of another teammate, Dhawan didn't make an effort to shield his weaknesses against the moving ball or his uncanny ability to gift wickets to non-threatening spin.

Ajinkya Rahane: 8.5/10

With 192 runs in four matches, Rahane was easily the batsman of the series. He showed that he has taken his limited-overs game up by leaps and bounds. Of course, the experience of doing well in the preceding Test series benefitted him. His maiden ODI ton, a classy 106 at Edgbaston, has given selectors the realistic option of using Rahane as a third opener in the 2015 World Cup provided either Dhawan or Rohit fail. India could have profited a lot more had he not fell after getting starts in his previous two knocks (a 47-ball 41 at No 4 and 56-ball 45 at No 1).

The fact that may go unnoticed is that he had the best strike rate among India's top-4 in the ODI series (93.8) and he hit six sixes in the four ODIs and one T20I, most by an Indian this series along with Suresh Raina. His fielding in the run saving positions was among the best one can see by an Indian in recent years, especially in the T20I where he took four catches.

Virat Kohli: 3.5/10

Passing marks? Not quite. Indian cricket lovers would groan at the prospect of waiting till the last match of a more than two-and-a-half month tour to see a Kohli fifty. After a forgettable Test run, Kohli was expected to do a lot better in the ODIs, which he didn't as his 54 runs in three innings would suggest. Seemed to have got close to hitting some form with a neat 50-ball 40 in the third ODI at Trent Bridge but his dismissal in the fifth ODI to James Anderson made it evident that he is still coming to grips with 'how to play the moving ball outside off stump' syndrome.

In the run-feast of the T20I, Kohli - India's most prolific limited-overs run scorer since the 2011 World Cup came into his own. Despite his 41-ball 66, he failed to take the team across the finish line, something which he is so used to doing in ODIs.

Suresh Raina: 8.5/10

Perhaps the best thing to have happened to the Indian team after the Test debacle was Raina, who was back for the ODIs and firing in all cylinders. His counter-attacking 75-ball 100 at Cardiff, hailed by many as one of India's best-ever overseas knocks in ODIs, set the tone for the series as well as giving assurance and belief to India bowlers to do well. Raina's close catching, especially the sharp take to get rid of Alastair Cook at gully, was inspiring. His role as a senior player in the current side was visible during his movement inside the circle, his applause of a fielder and by speaking a word of encouragement to an inexperienced bowler.

Raina's synergy on the field was infectious, which lifted the atmosphere of the team. Technically, he played the short ball well and didn't show a glaring weakness with the bat. His off spin was more than handy as he took four wickets, one in each ODI, at an economy rate of just over four-and-a-half (4.68).

MS Dhoni: 8/10

Needless to say, most of Dhoni's points are for his captaincy. In the first three ODIs, his bowling changes, field positioning and his reading of the game was astute and he didn't look like a captain who had a terrible team performance in the three previous international outings. Acknowledged the areas his side needs to improve on, especially death-overs bowling that was highlighted in the loss at Leeds and in the T20I at Edgbaston. En route the 3-1 series win, he became India's most successful ODI skipper with 91 victories.

As a batsmen, his 52 at Cardiff was the perfect foil for a marauding Raina at the other end. After not being required to bat in the third and fourth ODIs, he missed out in the fifth ODI and his habit of taking the match till the end keeping the bulk of big-hitting to himself backfired in the lone T20I, which allowed the hosts to eke out a three-run win. Increasingly, Dhoni needs more performers like Raina, Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Add to that an in-form Kohli, wicket-taking spinners and incisive new-ball bowlers and Dhoni has a team to beat in the 2015 World Cup.

Ambati Rayudu: 7.5/10

Still isn't a finished product but made good use of the chances he got in the middle order - something that could would have been difficult to come by had Rohit not got injured. Rayudu scored fifties in each of the innings he got to bat in the ODIs, scoring 117 runs in all. Displayed a calm head on his shoulders at this level during his match-winning unbeaten 64 in the Trent Bridge ODI. While, two matches later, he frittered a brilliant chance to score a big one and threw his wicket away after getting to 53. Areas where he can improve – batting strike rate (81.81) and ground fielding, where he could be found a tad slow to move on the field.

Ravindra Jadeja: 8/10

Ravindra Jadeja the left-arm spinner was at his best in the ODIs. Barring the mauling he received from the hands of Joe Root in the final ODI at Leeds, Jadeja had excellent figures of seven for 106 at an economy rate of just under four in the ODIs. He was the chief benefactor of English batsmen trying to sweep and trying to hit out. As a batsmen, he did shine in a lone effort at Leeds - hitting a fighting 87 off 68 balls. Coming in at number seven and having a career-average of 35, in Jadeja, Dhoni has an able finisher, who comes under pressure of having to deliver each time.

R Ashwin: 7.5/10

Led the slow-bowling attack well and revelled in the partnership with Jadeja against not the most adept players of spin. Ashwin's figures of three for 39 at Trent Bridge earned him the Man-of-the-Match award as he outfoxed the batsmen. Where every other bowler was being targeted by the English batsmen in the Leeds game, Ashwin put brakes on the scoring. He didn't try and overuse his variations. His seven wickets in four games at an average of 24 and an economy of less than 4.50 is encouraging for India. Ashwin needs to improve his ground fielding, running between the wickets and continue to take wickets in the middle overs in order to silence his detractors.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 7.5/10

The only Indian bowler to play all the Tests and ODIs on the tour, Bhuvneshwar is fast becoming Dhoni's go-to man. He troubled Alex Hales with an in-swinging ball and was hard to get away for the batsmen with the new ball. He commanded the respect of the England batsmen as he kept things tight and seldom wavered from the right channel – a series economy rate of 4.32 is testimony to that. After a long tour and a truckload of overs, this 24-year-old will welcome the month-long rest. He took five wickets for 134 runs in the four ODIs.

Mohammed Shami: 8/10

The most improved bowler since the Tests, Shami showed why he was touted as India's future strike-bowler when he made his Test debut last year. He felt at home playing the ODIs, ran in with a positive attitude and looked to take wickets at all times - something which wasn't quite visible in the Test series. His speeds were up there and he got the ball to move late. Shami was easily the best bowler in either side with eight wickets with a best of three for 28 at Edgbaston and a series average of a wicket every 19 runs and 24 balls. His economy rate too came down to 4.77 in the series, a marked improvement over his career record.

Mohit Sharma: 5/10

Mohit Sharma did well in the two ODIs he played but couldn't get a breakthrough as he gave away 35 runs in his nine overs before missing out on the final two matches due to injury. He got the ball to jag away from Cook and tied the opening batsmen down. Also, the Chennai Super Kings and Haryana medium-pacer got the odd ball to bounce more than expected. Mohit came back in the T20I but got hit for plenty as his death bowling skills were tested to the core while being pasted by Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara for 21 runs in an over in Edgbaston. The 24-year-old still needs to do more in order to give selectors the hint that he is one of India's fast bowling options.

Umesh Yadav: 3/10

Umesh did little to stake claim in the ODI playing XI as was largely erratic in the one match he played, giving away 46 runs in his six overs. His only bright spot was the dismissal of Hales, beating him for pace on a short delivery. Pace is fine in the early 140s, but he needs to get the ball to move both ways to make an impact. And most importantly, he needs to hit the right line and length repeatedly.

Dhawal Kulkarni: 3/10

Some may argue that he got a raw deal after playing just one match, in which he went wicketless and didn't trouble the batsmen. His speeds were up there in the high 130 kmph and hit the 140 mark on more than couple of occasions. Uncertainty, although remains over whether he will be retained in the team for the series against West Indies.