India vs New Zealand: 2nd Test: India marks out of 10

Yet again India’s lack of punch with the ball prevented them from overcoming New Zealand after Harbhajan’s second successive hundred had given his side a 122 run lead. With their main strike bowler Zaheer Khan lame, India were more or less impotent, although credit must be given to Brendon McCullum for his double hundred and the likes of Kane Williamson for the sterling support they offered (see New Zealand marks out of 10 here)

India now go into the final test at Nagpur on Saturday under some pressure to record the victory that will give them the series. Here’s how they rated at Hyderabad.

Gautam Gambhir – 6: Will have been relieved to have got his first fifty for six tests but will have been furious with himself for the leg side dismissal that wrecked all his hard work.

Virender Sehwag – 8: Missed a hundred in the first innings after an injudicious slog sweep against Vettori led to nothing but the dreaded death rattle. But two fifties in the match is not exactly a poor return.

Rahul Dravid – 6: Outdone by Southee after a typically dogged knock – it’s not often you see The Wall missing a straight one.

Sachin Tendulkar – 4: A very strange innings indeed from the Little Master and a dismissal most unbecoming of him. If his poor series continues at Nagpur, expect Vettori’s phone to be ringing from all the other international captains on the circuit.

VVS Laxman – 7: A combination of finally playing a Test on his home ground and some tight New Zealand bowling meant that this was one of Laxman’s more circumspect innings. Will have been disappointed not to turn his patient 75 into a hundred in front of his adoring public.

Suresh Raina – 3: A dreadful dismissal suggests Raina has a lot of work to do before he can justifiably call himself a test batsman. Chipped in with a couple of wickets in the second innings.

MS Dhoni – 3: Dismissed after being beaten in the flight by Vettori to continue his recent struggles with the bat. Not his most inspiring performance as captain either.

Harbhajan Singh – 9: At this rate they’ll be calling him an all-rounder after his second successive hundred made it 295 runs in the series. Bowled excellently in the first innings but his poor recent form returned in the second. Now has 31 wickets at 44.7 from his last nine Tests and he’s needed more than 97 balls for each of those wickets. That’s not good enough for a bowler of Harbhajan’s ability.

Zaheer Khan – 7: Is out of Nagpur with a dodgy groin and without him India were devoid of ideas. Bowled well in the first innings and now has 41 test wickets at 22.92 this year – that is close to superhuman given all of his efforts have been on subcontinental wickets.

Pragyan Ojha – 5: Three wickets in 74 overs tells you everything you need to know. Now has 28 wickets at 46.96 from eight games in 2010 with a woeful strike rate of 100.3. How India miss Kumble. Maybe it is time for Mishra or Ashwin to be given a chance?

Sreesanth – 6: Batted well to help his old sparring partner Harbhajan to his hundred and gave everything with the ball. Is probably already dreaming of bowling on the more receptive South African pitches in a few weeks

Where next?

1st Test ratings: New Zealand and India

Sachin Tendulkar’s Annus Mirabilis

Heroes: VVS Laxman