India's Test Report Card 2018: Rating the players

Ravichandran Ashwin

Rating- 7.5/10

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has been a mainstay in the Indian Test team for many years and he had a good 2018 in this format. He picked up 38 wickets in 10 matches and has scored 306 runs averaging 21.40. Ashwin has turned into an all-rounder and provides batting stability to the team. He was decent against England where the ball didn't turn too much and batted with dour resistance in South Africa.

He was excellent against West Indies and Afghanistan and was brilliant against Australia in the first Test at Adelaide. He is nursing a niggle and India will be hoping that he'll be back to full fitness. Ashwin has been good on all sorts of pitches and is here to stay.

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Cheteshwar Pujara

Rating- 8.5/10

Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara has been the perfect Test batsman for India and has had a great 2018. He started off poorly in South Africa averaging 16.66 but after that, he was excellent. He has scored 837 runs in 13 matches averaging 38.04 and has scored three 100s.

In England, he averaged 39.71 and scored a match-winning 100. He has been more brilliant against Australia and has thrown the Aussie bowlers into dismay. He has scored 328 runs in three matches averaging 54.66 with two 100s.

His best knock came against England where he played an innings of utmost character to help India post a decent total in a game which India ended up winning. He scored a brilliant 123 in the first Innings of the first Test followed by a 73 which was very important for India's historic win at Adelaide.

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Jasprit Bumrah

Rating- 9/10

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah has been India's greatest find in Tests this year and has been exceptional. He has picked up 47 wickets from nine matches at a great bowling average of 20.17. Against South Africa, he picked up 14 wickets in three matches. Against England, he took 14 wickets in three matches as well. He has been simply outstanding against Australia and has struck fear into the hearts of Aussie batsmen.

He has taken 19 wickets in three matches averaging a stunning 14.68 and has been Kohli's strike bowler. In the Test at Melbourne, Bumrah was almost unplayable and his slower yorker to Shaun Marsh was the talk of the town. Bumrah has been a force to reckon with and has been India's best bowler this year.

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Virat Kohli

Rating- 9.5/10

Virat Kohli

There is no doubt who the top rated player will be. Virat Kohli is running out of records to break and oppositions to destroy with his batting. He scored a mammoth 1322 runs in 13 matches averaging a colossal 55.08 and stands clear of other Indian batsmen.

He was India's lone solace against England where he scored 593 runs in five matches averaging 59.30 and is in great form against Australia.

His 123 at Perth was an innings which bled passion and his celebration showed that his bat was going to do the talking. Amidst criticism and praise over his captaincy and batting, Kohli has remained focused and has been simply outstanding this year.