India vs Australia, Series Ratings

So India finished on the right side in a whitewash of a 4 or more test series for the first time. Australia have been whitewashed in a 4 test series after 44 years. Here are my series ratings for both sides.
India.
Murali Vijay 9. Vijay had a poor first test, but bounced back brilliantly to top score in the series, hitting 2 scores above 150 in the process and adding a crucial 50 in the last game to go with it. Loses half a point for today's recklessness when India were involved in a tricky 4th innings chase.
Cheteshwar Pujara 9. A double hundred, couple of 50s up front, including a calm and composed 82 not out to settle the chase in the last match on a demanding pitch. Pujara has been very consistent for India. Put down a couple of chances close in, but overall he has been pretty good.
Sachin Tendulkar 5. Played an innings that turned the years back at Chennai. Unlike in the NZ or England series, Tendulkar looked more positive and assured, but there was nothing else other than that 81 and a couple of 30s in terms of the outcome in terms of scores.
Virat Kohli 7. Kohli scored a ton in the opening test, and batted well in the other tests and made significant contributions throughout the series, but he has to work on converting his starts into hundreds, and hundreds into big hundreds. Usually pretty sharp on the field, Kohli wouldn't be pleased that he put down more than his fair share of tough chances.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni 9. Had it not been for Shikhar Dhawan's fabulous debut effort, Dhoni's Chennai knock unarguably is the innings of the series. That innings was a strong statement, he continued to make important contributions with the bat in other matches, took most of his chances, and has been a lot more proactive with his captaincy.
Ravindra Jadeja 8. Was a threat with the ball in every innings, fielded with lots of energy and commitment. The batting needs more work for a test number 7, but in the last couple of knocks, Jadeja showed he can take up the pressure with the bat as well.
Ravichandran Ashwin 9. Ashwin was splendid with the ball throughout the series. The minor technical work that he has done on his bowling has worked for Ashwin. The only small bit of disappointment is that his lower order batting was not as effective as it used to be.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar 6. There wasn't a lot for Kumar in terms of conditions, but he had his moments, couple of significant new ball spells, couple of timely lower order resistance with the bat.
Ishant Sharma 5. Ishant made his presence felt in the last couple of matches, the conditions didn't help him much, but it won't be too much to expect a little bit more from a bowler who has the experience of 50 test matches.
Virender Sehwag 1. Sehwag got 3 more opportunities to rediscover his form but he failed to take any of those. Was poor in the field and was rightly dropped.
Harbhajan Singh 2. Nothing remarkable from Harbhajan with the ball in the test test he played, and his lower order batting too wasn't up to mark.
Pragyan Ojha 4. Had to sit out of the first couple of games, but Ojha didn't look the same bowler as he was earlier during the home season. Bowled OK, nothing more.
Shikhar Dhawan 9. I have to rate him just on the basis of one test, one innings. But what an innings that was, Sehwag will be proud of his replacement.
Ajinkya Rahane 1. Didn't really take the much anticipated chance, looked troubled by both pace and spin in his short stay in the first innings, and played an obnoxious and irresponsible shot 2nd time round.
Australia
David Warner 6. Couple of 50s for Warner, he failed to convert those starts and then struggled against spin in the rest of the series. Was pretty sharp in the field.
Ed Cowan 6. Got a few starts, was willing to take his time, but never produced a big openers as expected from a test opener.
Phil Hughes 3. He took the attack to the bowlers and lived dangerously to post scores of 69 and 45. Otherwise it has been a pretty awful series for Hughes.
Shane Watson 3. Nothing substantial with the bat despite a few starts, and he didn't bowl in this series, playing him just as a batsman doesn't seem worth it. Good captaincy in the last match.
Michael Clarke 7. Looked Australia's best bet with the bat. Showed some intent as a captain, but some of the selections were rather ridiculous, and looked lost on the field when the Indians built a couple of massive partnerships.
Matthew Wade 5. Keeping was OK, but not much beyond a 50 in the 2nd test.
Moises Henriques 6. Had a good debut match with the bat, but his bowling doesn't quite look test class and the batting too fel away after that first test.
Peter Siddle 7. Bowled very well in the last 2 matches and showed his top order batsmen how to bat in Delhi.
James Pattinson 6. Bowled well in the first test, and looked OK in the other matches he played. Always up for some decent lower order resistance with the bat as well.
Nathan Lyon 6. Had a superb last game, and showed he's still Australia's best bet in the spin department. Didn't seem to get a lot of backing from captain Clarke.
Mitchell Starc 6. Bowled a couple of good spells at Mohali and batted superbly in that match. But he was generally inconsistent with the ball.
Glenn Maxwell 4. There is some serious talent in Maxwell, particularly with the ball. But his batting temperament isn't test class, and even his bowling need a lot more attention.
Steven Smith 6. Played a fine innings on his test comeback and looked more assured than most Australian batsmen when playing the Indian spinners. Smith's bowling has declined, but he can still pick up the odd wicket or 2.
Xavier Doherty 3. An honest trier, but Doherty doesn't have the class to play test cricket. Good ODI bowler, but not one for test cricket.
Mitchell Johnson 3. Produced some quality stuff in the Indian first innings of the last test, but he was profligate in the 2nd innings, and had an awful match with the bat.
Brad Haddin 4. Kept well in the only match he played, but nothing of note with the bat.

India

Vijay-10- leading run scorer in the series, enough said.
Pujara-9
Dhawan-10- couldnt really do any better on debut
Sehwag-1
Tendulkar-5
Kohli-7
Dhoni-9
Jadeja-6 -
Ashwin-9
Kumar-5
Ishant-5
Ojha-7
Harbajhan- 0- this guy's international career is surely over!

Australia:

Cowan- 6
Warner-6
Hughes-4
Watson-3
Clarke-8
Wade-5
Henriques- 7....not sure why he was dropped to be honest
Maxwell-3 ....test career surely over before its began
Pattinson-5...1st test bowled really well but faded
Siddle-8....no one tries harder then him, and was aussies' best batsman after clarke!
Lyon-6..difficult series but came back well
Starc-6
Smith-6
Doherty-5
Johnson-3
Haddin-4

Jadeja 6 and Ojha 7? Seriously? Wonder whether we both watched the same series!.
Nathan Lyon has taken 15 wickets in the series and gets a 6, same as Ravindra Jadeja who took 24, besides a pretty useful contribution with the batt and superb fielding.

Ojha was disappointing. Harbajhan was poor. Rahere lost the plot in his first test. Time to call time on Sewhag. But overall most of the Indian players fully deserving of ratings around of 8 and 9.

My ratings
India
Vijay 9.8
Shehwag 1
Dhawan 9.8
Pujara 9.78
Sachin 4.8
Kohli 6.5
Rahane 1
Dhoni 9
Jadeja 8.9
Kumar 5.5
Sharma 5
Ashwin 9.9
Bhajji 3.4
Ojha 4.8

Australia
Warner 6
Cowan 6.45
Hughes 4.1
Watson 4.0
Clarke 8
Maxwell 5.1
Henriques 6
Lyon 7.5
Doherty 4.6
Siddle 7
Pattinson 6.4
Starc 6.4
Jhonson 4.6
Haddin 4
Smith 6.5
Wade 5.6
Khwaja -

Tendulkqr 5 but Hughes only 3?

Both scored about the same amount of runs, but one scored his against a poor attack.

Ojha 7 and Harbhajan 0? Don't really understand the hatred for Bhajji from a Vettori fan.
And Jadeja only 6? Give me a break!

Ojha seems to be CF's love child.

As far as Sachin and Hughes Ratings go, Hughes had one additional innings in the series and even then scored 45 runs less than what SRT managed. Sachin's innings at Chennai was a very significant one in the course of the match and series, coming in at 12-2 against a fired up James Pattinson, Sachin turned the momentum back towards India and was involved win 2 crucial partnerships with Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. When Hughes made his 69, he never gave any impression of security at the crease, he looked like getting out every ball, managed to live dangerously to post that much. Besides, the knock came in a situation when Australia were pushed a long way back in the game, and Hughes couldn't get them out of the mess. It also has to be remembered that Sachin's couple of 30s helped form significant partnerships at a time when Australia had found an opening to rest the momentum back.
Most certainly an underwhelming series for Sachin Tendulkar, but the moderate contributions he made at crucial times makes him a 5 in my view.
Hughes had an awful series, and he hasn't scored as much as Sachin did from one additional innings, and even when he scored, he couldn't leave a decisive mark on the match situation.

Hughes played really well for his 45 in the last match, and like I said, you need to take into account the opposition, when rating players. India were a constant threat to the Aussies, whilst most of the Indian players, bar Sachin, took advantage of the mediocre bowling served up by the Aussies.

I'm going to cop out of doing a full rating, but for me, both would get a 4.

Stella wrote:Hughes played really well for his 45 in the last match, and like I said, you need to take into account the opposition, when rating players. India were a constant threat to the Aussies, whilst most of the Indian players, bar Sachin, took advantage of the mediocre bowling served up by the Aussies.

I'm going to cop out of doing a full rating, but for me, both would get a 4.

I wouldn't say the Aussies bowling was mediocre it was just that the wickets all the 4 test matches were played on just didn't suit their strengths in their bowling which is their pace bowlers.

gboycottnut wrote:

Stella wrote:Hughes played really well for his 45 in the last match, and like I said, you need to take into account the opposition, when rating players. India were a constant threat to the Aussies, whilst most of the Indian players, bar Sachin, took advantage of the mediocre bowling served up by the Aussies.

I'm going to cop out of doing a full rating, but for me, both would get a 4.

I wouldn't say the Aussies bowling was mediocre it was just that the wickets all the 4 test matches were played on just didn't suit their strengths in their bowling which is their pace bowlers.

Exactly. I'm expecting them to be a bit of a handful this summer, but they were certainly not in India. In fact, the whole team were pretty awful.

Stella wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

Stella wrote:Hughes played really well for his 45 in the last match, and like I said, you need to take into account the opposition, when rating players. India were a constant threat to the Aussies, whilst most of the Indian players, bar Sachin, took advantage of the mediocre bowling served up by the Aussies.

I'm going to cop out of doing a full rating, but for me, both would get a 4.

I wouldn't say the Aussies bowling was mediocre it was just that the wickets all the 4 test matches were played on just didn't suit their strengths in their bowling which is their pace bowlers.

Exactly. I'm expecting them to be a bit of a handful this summer, but they were certainly not in India. In fact, the whole team were pretty awful.

Just as NZ found it very tough in SA in the test matches then in January before giving England a hell of a going over now in the test series in their home country in March, the Aussies are likely to do well in England in the Ashes test series having now gone through that period in which they don't play well and get outplayed by the opposition.

Stella wrote:Hughes played really well for his 45 in the last match, and like I said, you need to take into account the opposition, when rating players. India were a constant threat to the Aussies, whilst most of the Indian players, bar Sachin, took advantage of the mediocre bowling served up by the Aussies.

I'm going to cop out of doing a full rating, but for me, both would get a 4.

There certainly is a debatable point there in your argument and no way would I say its not possible for me to see any sense in that argument.
Yet I think I would disagree. I think an average of 32 and an average of 18 can be rated the same. As I suggested above, Sachin's 81 was crucial in the context of the match and even the series, but can't really say that about Hughes' effort in Mohali.

He got 4 in the cricinfo ratings. Sounds about right.