India lost the first Test match in Chennai by a massive margin of 227 runs to England but they came back strongly to they defeated the visitors by an even bigger margin of 317 runs in the second. It was a flawless performance by the hosts on a pitch that drew a lot of criticism. India found many heroes in this match too and here we’ll take a look at how each of the players fared in this game.
R Ashwin – 10
Local hero Ashwin was the star of the match. Not only did he pick up eight wickets (including a five-wicket haul in the first innings), he scored his fifth Test century to dig India out of trouble as well. He was adjudged Player of the Match for his fabulous all-round performance and hence, we can’t afford to give him anything less than a perfect 10.
Rohit Sharma – 9.5
It was Rohit’s 161 in the first innings that helped India gain upper hand in the match. His innings propelled India to a first innings total of 329, which means Rohit scored almost 50 percent of India’s total runs. His knock came off just 231 deliveries, at a strike-rate of 69.7 – a terrific effort on a track that had started turning from Day 1. He looked well set for a big score in the second innings as well, but his innings was cut short on 26. Another fifty there would have earned him a perfect 10. For now, he has to remain satisfied with a rating of 9.5.
Axar Patel – 9
Axar had a dream debut. He started with the in-form Joe Root, and went on to pick up three wickets in the first innings and five more in the second, a performance he is unlikely to forget. He showed good control over his line and lengths and kept troubling the batsmen with his variations in pace.
Rishabh Pant – 8
The 23-year-old played an important role in the match, both with batting and wicketkeeping. He first played a defining 58 not out off 77 deliveries to stretch India’s first innings total to 329. Then he then had some superb catches and stumpings to help his team provide crucial breakthroughs. He made a massive impact on the outcome of this match.
Virat Kohli – 7
The Indian skipper got dismissed cheaply in the first innings, but made a fighting 62 in the second. While wickets kept tumbling at one end, he stood at the other like a rock until he got an able partner in Ashwin. They were involved in a crucial 96-run stand for the seventh wicket. Apart from that, Kohli led his side well and kept the spirits of his teammates up in the field.
Ajinkya Rahane – 7
The Indian vice-captain’s knock of 67 in the first innings was an important one, especially after he walked out to bat in a tricky situation, at 86/3. But he pulled his team out of trouble with a 162-run stand for the fourth wicket with Rohit. He looked very comfortable at the crease but got dismissed while attempting a sweep shot off Moeen Ali.
Kuldeep Yadav – 6
The left-arm wrist-spinner had a limited role to play. He bowled a total of 12.2 overs, but even then he accounted for the wickets of Ben Foakes and Moeen in the second innings.
Mohammed Siraj – 6
Like Kuldeep, he had a very limited role to play. He bowled only eight overs, but managed to pick up the vital wicket of Ollie Pope. He also played a handy cameo of 16 in the second innings as well and thus helped Ashwin to complete his century.
Ishant Sharma – 6
Ishant bowled 11 overs for his two wickets, of Rory Burns and Jack Leach, both in the first innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara – 4
The Indian batting stalwart didn’t have a good outing in this game. He was dismissed for 21 after facing 58 deliveries in the first innings and was then run out for 7. Given his stature, it was important for him to play at least one big knock in this crucial match.
Shubman Gill – 3
Gill could not convert his undeniable talent and terrific form into performance in this match. He scored 0 and 14 in the two innings, thus failing to make an impact. Gill will be eager to come up with a much better performance in the second leg of the Test series in Ahmedabad.