TOI’s Report Card: India’s Performance in Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia
India had a tough time Down Under, with the series ending in Australia’s favour, 3-1. While Jasprit Bumrah shined bright, and young Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed, the rest of the team didn’t perform as expected. Poor application, lack of depth, and disappointing efforts led to this result. Hindol Basu shares the grades. Sign the report at your own risk!
Jasprit Bumrah
Rating: 10/10
If there was a score higher than 10, Bumrah deserved it. His superhuman effort kept India in the fight, earning him the Player of the Series award. He was India’s biggest strength in the series.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Rating: 8/10
On his first tour to Australia, Jaiswal became India’s highest run-scorer with 391 runs at an average of 43.44. He hit one century and two half-centuries. His 161 in Perth helped India win the first Test, and twin 80s in Melbourne showed his potential.
KL Rahul
Rating: 6/10
Rahul had a mixed series. He scored 276 runs at an average of 30.66, including two half-centuries. His opening partnership with Jaiswal in Perth was memorable, but inconsistency hurt him in later matches.
Virat Kohli
Rating: 4/10
Kohli struggled with form, scoring only 190 runs at an average of 23.75. Though he scored a century in Perth, his repeated dismissals to balls outside off stump caused trouble.
Rohit Sharma
Rating: 3/10
Rohit had a forgettable tour, missing the first and last Tests and scoring just 31 runs at an average of 6.20. His batting and leadership lacked clarity, drawing criticism.
Indian Batters
Rishabh Pant
Rating: 5/10
Pant’s aggressive batting was both a strength and a weakness. His 61 off 33 balls in Sydney was exciting but not match-winning.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Rating: 7/10
Reddy scored 298 runs at an average of 37.25, including a historic century at the MCG. Though his bowling wasn’t effective, his batting made him a promising player for the future.
Indian Pacers
Mohammed Siraj
Rating: 7/10
Siraj took 20 wickets but was inconsistent at times. His 0-122 in Melbourne was a low point, though he showed promise overall.
Shubman Gill
Rating: 3/10
Gill scored only 93 runs at an average of 18.60, struggling to deliver at No. 3.
Indian Spinners
Ravindra Jadeja
Rating: 4/10
Jadeja’s contributions with both bat and ball were below par, impacting the team’s balance.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Rating: 3/10
Ashwin played one Test before retiring, taking just one wicket. His sudden retirement raised questions.
Washington Sundar
Rating: 4/10
Sundar showed moments of resilience with the bat but failed to make a significant impact overall.
Other Performers
Prasidh Krishna
Rating: 7/10
Krishna shone in the final Test, taking six wickets at an average of 17.83.
Akash Deep
Rating: 5/10
Deep’s key contribution was with the bat in Brisbane, though his bowling lacked wickets.
Harshit Rana
Rating: 4/10
Rana had an impressive debut but failed to maintain form later.
Devdutt Padikkal
Rating: 3/10
Padikkal played only one Test, showing glimpses of promise but failing to deliver.
Dhruv Jurel
Rating: 3/10
Jurel didn’t perform well in the Perth Test and wasn’t selected for the rest of the series.
Coach: Gautam Gambhir
Rating: 5/10
Gambhir faced criticism for team selection, strategies, and lack of unity in the dressing room. His coaching didn’t solve India’s batting and tactical issues.
