Sehwag and Amla top, Duminy flops
Marks out of ten for the Test series between South Africa and India that was drawn 1-1
Sidharth Monga
19-Feb-2010
India
9 - Virender Sehwag
A century he rated as one of his best, and another that unsettled South Africa - their coach Corrie van Zyl admitted as much. Loses one mark for the shot in Nagpur which started a collapse that cost India the match.
A century he rated as one of his best, and another that unsettled South Africa - their coach Corrie van Zyl admitted as much. Loses one mark for the shot in Nagpur which started a collapse that cost India the match.
8.5 -Sachin Tendulkar
Worked over in the first innings, but scored two high-quality centuries in the knocks that followed. Guided Sehwag, averting a possible collapse, in Kolkata.
Worked over in the first innings, but scored two high-quality centuries in the knocks that followed. Guided Sehwag, averting a possible collapse, in Kolkata.
7.5 - Harbhajan Singh
Kept improving through the series. After a failure in Nagpur, he loved the bouncy pitch and the crowd support in Kolkata, causing a collapse in the first innings, and leading the charge towards victory in the second.
Kept improving through the series. After a failure in Nagpur, he loved the bouncy pitch and the crowd support in Kolkata, causing a collapse in the first innings, and leading the charge towards victory in the second.
7 - Zaheer Khan
Reduced to nought South Africa's premiere batsman and captain, Graeme Smith. Got early wickets in two of three innings, and started the collapse in the first innings in Kolkata.
Reduced to nought South Africa's premiere batsman and captain, Graeme Smith. Got early wickets in two of three innings, and started the collapse in the first innings in Kolkata.
6 - MS Dhoni, VVS Laxman
The field placements that Dhoni used might be open to question, but the way he rotated the three bowlers available to him on the epic final day was commendable. Scored a quick century to bat South Africa out before that.
The field placements that Dhoni used might be open to question, but the way he rotated the three bowlers available to him on the epic final day was commendable. Scored a quick century to bat South Africa out before that.
Laxman missed the first Test but made immediate impact in the second, seeing off the tricky second new ball, when India were about par with South Africa's first innings in Kolkata. The Jacques Kallis catch was special, so were all of those 143 runs.
5 - Amit Mishra
Had gone 70 overs without a wicket at one point of time, but stuck to the task. Took three big wickets - Smith, Kallis, AB de Villiers - in penultimate overs before session breaks to give Harbhajan the much-needed support in Kolkata.
Had gone 70 overs without a wicket at one point of time, but stuck to the task. Took three big wickets - Smith, Kallis, AB de Villiers - in penultimate overs before session breaks to give Harbhajan the much-needed support in Kolkata.
4.5 - Ishant Sharma
Despite unflattering figures, Ishant bowled one spell full of bouncers on the first afternoon in Kolkata that Zaheer carried on from. Also took two of the last three wickets to fall on the final evening.
Despite unflattering figures, Ishant bowled one spell full of bouncers on the first afternoon in Kolkata that Zaheer carried on from. Also took two of the last three wickets to fall on the final evening.
4 - S Badrinath
Looked the part in his debut innings before becoming one of Dale Steyn's seven victims. Took a superb catch at forward short leg in the final innings, and dropped one that didn't prove to be consequential.
Looked the part in his debut innings before becoming one of Dale Steyn's seven victims. Took a superb catch at forward short leg in the final innings, and dropped one that didn't prove to be consequential.
3 - M Vijay, Gautam Gambhir, Wriddhiman Saha
Took only one outswinger from Steyn to set Vijay up for the inswinger in the first innings of the series, and was uncomfortable against Morne Morkel's bounce in Kolkata. Was quick and energetic in the field, almost manufacturing a run-out, but wasn't safe as a catcher.
Took only one outswinger from Steyn to set Vijay up for the inswinger in the first innings of the series, and was uncomfortable against Morne Morkel's bounce in Kolkata. Was quick and energetic in the field, almost manufacturing a run-out, but wasn't safe as a catcher.
A rare ordinary series for Gambhir. Got worked over by some smart aggressive bowling from Morkel in the first Test. Was hitting the ball cleanly in the second before being run out by friend and opening partner, Sehwag.
Saha was caught in the wrong place, wrong time, and in the wrong role. Will hope for a better, proper initiation to Test cricket sometime soon.
South Africa
9.5 - Hashim Amla
The Last Man Standing didn't win. The numbers tell his story: 1402 minutes of risk-free batting, 490 of the calmest runs, and one mistake. That one mistake, though, part of a first-innings collapse in Kolkata, will rankle.
The Last Man Standing didn't win. The numbers tell his story: 1402 minutes of risk-free batting, 490 of the calmest runs, and one mistake. That one mistake, though, part of a first-innings collapse in Kolkata, will rankle.
8 - Dale Steyn
Bowled one of the most lethal spells of pace and swing seen in India to set up the Nagpur win. Bowled well enough to be rated the best bowler Sehwag has faced but lost swing when he needed it most: when Sehwag ran amok in the first innings in Kolkata.
Bowled one of the most lethal spells of pace and swing seen in India to set up the Nagpur win. Bowled well enough to be rated the best bowler Sehwag has faced but lost swing when he needed it most: when Sehwag ran amok in the first innings in Kolkata.
6.5 - Jacques Kallis
Started South Africa's rescue from 6 for 2 on the first morning with a century of pure class. Didn't look uncomfortable in the second Test, yet failed to make a telling contribution. Failed to hold on to a few tough slip catches off Paul Harris.
Started South Africa's rescue from 6 for 2 on the first morning with a century of pure class. Didn't look uncomfortable in the second Test, yet failed to make a telling contribution. Failed to hold on to a few tough slip catches off Paul Harris.
6 - Alviro Petersen, Morne Morkel
Brought in because of injury to Mark Boucher, Petersen scored a century on debut, an innings that should have sealed the series but for an injudicious shot that started a monumental collapse.
Brought in because of injury to Mark Boucher, Petersen scored a century on debut, an innings that should have sealed the series but for an injudicious shot that started a monumental collapse.
Four wickets at an average of 59.5 don't do justice to Morkel's effort, his aggression, and the role he played in the Nagpur win. In another series, he might bowl worse and end up with 10 wickets. Also hung around for 76 minutes along with Amla on the final evening.
5 - Paul Harris
Played his role to perfection when his fast bowlers got off to a good start. Struggled to do damage control in Kolkata, but could have still ended with much better figures had all the chances been held.
Played his role to perfection when his fast bowlers got off to a good start. Struggled to do damage control in Kolkata, but could have still ended with much better figures had all the chances been held.
4 - Mark Boucher
There wasn't much to do for him before he went out with a bad back. Kept without any mishaps, but would have been a handy man on the final day had he been fit.
There wasn't much to do for him before he went out with a bad back. Kept without any mishaps, but would have been a handy man on the final day had he been fit.
Parnell couldn't quite fill in the third seamer's role, entrusted with only 40 overs in three innings. Did take Sehwag's wicket in Nagpur, and also put on a 24.2-over partnership with Amla on the final day.
de Villiers started promisingly, scoring a quick fifty in Nagpur, but came up short when the going got rough, even running himself out in Kolkata. A missed stumping of Sehwag's, when filling in for Boucher, didn't help his confidence either.
2.5 - Ashwell Prince, Graeme Smith
Prince was a reluctant opener coming into the series and it showed in the first Test. Down in the middle order in the second, but he couldn't figure out Harbhajan.
Prince was a reluctant opener coming into the series and it showed in the first Test. Down in the middle order in the second, but he couldn't figure out Harbhajan.
Couldn't free himself from the vice-like grip Zaheer has had on him. Would have wanted to do better than get lbw playing across the line to Mishra in the final innings, after having done the hard work of seeing Zaheer off.
2 - JP Duminy
The biggest disappointment of the series on either side. Was Harbhajan's to be had throughout, and also dropped Sehwag and Laxman in their 40s in the first innings in Kolkata.
The biggest disappointment of the series on either side. Was Harbhajan's to be had throughout, and also dropped Sehwag and Laxman in their 40s in the first innings in Kolkata.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo