Report card for Team India's SA tour of 2018
As the most anticipated tour for India in a long time comes to a close, here is an attempt to make sense of how certain players fared over the last 2 months in South Africa.
M Vijay - The unheralded find from India's last tour to SA, with his refreshing ability to continuously leave balls outside off stump, went missing on this tour. Kept fishing outside off stump and exposed the middle order early, defeating the purpose of his selection. But all hope was not lost, as he finally found his discipline towards the end of the series, and gave excellent support to Kohli on a dangerous pitch in the last match of the series -- 5/10
Rohit Sharma - Had an underwhelming tour overall, and never really picked himself up after a disappointing outing in the test series. Picked ahead of Rahane in the starting xi, did not do justice to his captain's faith in him. Had only one innings of note in the limited overs series as well. Would have given a 4/10, but his captaincy in the last game of the tour, the decider, was refreshing to see and was a big factor in India defending 172 and going back home the happier team with 2 trophies. -- 5/10
C Pujara - Scored just 100 runs from 3 tests, averaging 16.66 and could not really live up to his billing of a test specialist. Showed good defensive technique for long periods, but failed to get a move on after that and that sort of allowed SA to keep the pressure on India. Scored a crucial 50 in the last test match in an important partnership with Kohli and gave India a fighting chance. -- 5/10
M Shami - Captain calls him 'a gun' bowler. Has the ability to run through sides and that was on display this series as well, but very disappointing that he cannot be trusted to deliver a tidy spell when the game is in the balance. Could not seize the advantage on the first morning of the tour after Bhuvi ran through SA's top order, and some say India lost the series there. Came back strongly in the third test and wrapped up the match for India. -- 6/10
H Pandya - 'I could be the difference, lets see' - he said before the tour. Started off the tour well, and saved India some embarrassment in the first test of the match, with an inspiring 94, without which India would have lost the match in the first innings itself. Made a crucial mistake getting himself run out in the second test match with the match in the balance and his captain fighting at the other end, and I believe that cost India the match. Could not really do much with the bat after that in the whole tour including the limited overs series, although his bowling improved a lot as the tour progressed. -- 7/10
A Rahane - Put aside his disappointment at not having made the starting xi in the test series with some positive batting in the second innings of the last test, and the partnership with Bhuvi dampened the spirits of the South Africans. Scored a breezy 79 in the first match of the ODI series in a good chase with the captain, but could not do enough to nail down the no 4 spot in the side after that. -- 7/10
S Dhawan - Dropped after just one test, came back strongly in the ODI series and looked a completely different player. Was India's best batsman after Kohli in the 9 limited overs games, and his consistency at the top of the order made sure that India never had to worry about a low total. Took some good catches in the field and as always kept the spirits of the team high. -- 8/10
Y Chahal - Formed a deadly combination with Kuldeep and extended their success from the home season to South African soil as well. South Africa's newfound sensation H Klassen took a liking to his bowling in a couple of rain affected matches, but dominated the South Africans otherwise. Was guilty of overstepping multiple times and that cost India a match as well. Ended the ODI series only one short of Kuldeep's tally with 16 wickets, the second best by a spinner in a series in SA. -- 8/10
Bhuvi - Did everything that was asked of him and more! He was like the teacher's favorite student in the class who could do no wrong, and even pipped the designated all-rounder Pandya with his returns with the bat and ball. Was left out of the second test for reasons only the team management knows, and that made a huge difference to the end result. Had a decent ODI series where the two wrist spinners made sure the pacers were not required to do much, and then capped off the tour with a Man of the series performance in the T20I series when our spinners took the back seat. -- 9/10
Kuldeep Yadav - Ran away with the ODI series before the South Africans could even realise what had hit them! Even their experienced batsmen like Duminy and Miller had no answers for him, and you felt bad for the lower order batsmen who had to negotiate him. Ended the ODI series with an astonishing 17 wickets from 6 matches - a feat unmatched by even the great Shane Warne! -- 9.5/10
V Kohli - Lead the team from the front, and dragged his team along with his own performances. Came out of a long and gruelling tour with his reputation enhanced, and has won over the respect of the South African fans and experts, as you could gauge from the reactions after every knock. Hardly put a foot wrong as a batsman, was the only batsman to score a century from either side in the test series, and scored 4 overall on the tour with the next best being just 1. Would have given a 10/10 but for some questionable calls as captain, none stranger than leaving out Bhuvi in the second test. -- 9.5/10
Are there other players that you wish to be evaluated? Please let us know in the comments section. Thanks!
M Vijay - The unheralded find from India's last tour to SA, with his refreshing ability to continuously leave balls outside off stump, went missing on this tour. Kept fishing outside off stump and exposed the middle order early, defeating the purpose of his selection. But all hope was not lost, as he finally found his discipline towards the end of the series, and gave excellent support to Kohli on a dangerous pitch in the last match of the series -- 5/10
Rohit Sharma - Had an underwhelming tour overall, and never really picked himself up after a disappointing outing in the test series. Picked ahead of Rahane in the starting xi, did not do justice to his captain's faith in him. Had only one innings of note in the limited overs series as well. Would have given a 4/10, but his captaincy in the last game of the tour, the decider, was refreshing to see and was a big factor in India defending 172 and going back home the happier team with 2 trophies. -- 5/10
C Pujara - Scored just 100 runs from 3 tests, averaging 16.66 and could not really live up to his billing of a test specialist. Showed good defensive technique for long periods, but failed to get a move on after that and that sort of allowed SA to keep the pressure on India. Scored a crucial 50 in the last test match in an important partnership with Kohli and gave India a fighting chance. -- 5/10
M Shami - Captain calls him 'a gun' bowler. Has the ability to run through sides and that was on display this series as well, but very disappointing that he cannot be trusted to deliver a tidy spell when the game is in the balance. Could not seize the advantage on the first morning of the tour after Bhuvi ran through SA's top order, and some say India lost the series there. Came back strongly in the third test and wrapped up the match for India. -- 6/10
H Pandya - 'I could be the difference, lets see' - he said before the tour. Started off the tour well, and saved India some embarrassment in the first test of the match, with an inspiring 94, without which India would have lost the match in the first innings itself. Made a crucial mistake getting himself run out in the second test match with the match in the balance and his captain fighting at the other end, and I believe that cost India the match. Could not really do much with the bat after that in the whole tour including the limited overs series, although his bowling improved a lot as the tour progressed. -- 7/10
A Rahane - Put aside his disappointment at not having made the starting xi in the test series with some positive batting in the second innings of the last test, and the partnership with Bhuvi dampened the spirits of the South Africans. Scored a breezy 79 in the first match of the ODI series in a good chase with the captain, but could not do enough to nail down the no 4 spot in the side after that. -- 7/10
S Dhawan - Dropped after just one test, came back strongly in the ODI series and looked a completely different player. Was India's best batsman after Kohli in the 9 limited overs games, and his consistency at the top of the order made sure that India never had to worry about a low total. Took some good catches in the field and as always kept the spirits of the team high. -- 8/10
Y Chahal - Formed a deadly combination with Kuldeep and extended their success from the home season to South African soil as well. South Africa's newfound sensation H Klassen took a liking to his bowling in a couple of rain affected matches, but dominated the South Africans otherwise. Was guilty of overstepping multiple times and that cost India a match as well. Ended the ODI series only one short of Kuldeep's tally with 16 wickets, the second best by a spinner in a series in SA. -- 8/10
Bhuvi - Did everything that was asked of him and more! He was like the teacher's favorite student in the class who could do no wrong, and even pipped the designated all-rounder Pandya with his returns with the bat and ball. Was left out of the second test for reasons only the team management knows, and that made a huge difference to the end result. Had a decent ODI series where the two wrist spinners made sure the pacers were not required to do much, and then capped off the tour with a Man of the series performance in the T20I series when our spinners took the back seat. -- 9/10
Kuldeep Yadav - Ran away with the ODI series before the South Africans could even realise what had hit them! Even their experienced batsmen like Duminy and Miller had no answers for him, and you felt bad for the lower order batsmen who had to negotiate him. Ended the ODI series with an astonishing 17 wickets from 6 matches - a feat unmatched by even the great Shane Warne! -- 9.5/10
V Kohli - Lead the team from the front, and dragged his team along with his own performances. Came out of a long and gruelling tour with his reputation enhanced, and has won over the respect of the South African fans and experts, as you could gauge from the reactions after every knock. Hardly put a foot wrong as a batsman, was the only batsman to score a century from either side in the test series, and scored 4 overall on the tour with the next best being just 1. Would have given a 10/10 but for some questionable calls as captain, none stranger than leaving out Bhuvi in the second test. -- 9.5/10
Are there other players that you wish to be evaluated? Please let us know in the comments section. Thanks!
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