From Jack Leach's A+ to Stuart Broad’s F: Grading every English player who featured in the India Tests

Dom Sibley: D- 

Looked like a million bucks versus pace bowling, but, unfortunately, was at sea versus the spinners - particularly against the left-arm spin of Axar Patel. Was dismissed by the slower bowlers in each of his 4 knocks and looked like a man searching for answers; trying to figure out the ideal method to combat spin. Unlike Sibley, though, Crawley did not look short of options and did try a fair few things to turn the tide his way. To his dismay, however, execution was all over the place. 

Perhaps if it wasn’t for that damned reverse sweep in the first hour of the first session of the tour, Rory Burns’ winter might have been different. For 59 balls he looked in complete control, but one botched reverse sweep and his fortunes did a 180-turn. He never really recovered post that, managing to score just 25 runs - two ducks - off 3 innings, being at the mercy of Ashwin everytime he walked to bat. The rest of the team failed, yes, but for someone who is a seasoned campaigner, and for someone who has prior sub-continent experience, Burns’ showing was disappointing.

Joe Root: C

Ben Stokes: C-

Salvaged some pride with a breathtaking, lung-busting display with the ball in the final Test, but ultimately let the team down when it really mattered, particularly being a senior batter. Again, like Root, made no contributions against the turning ball. Averaged 19 across the last three Tests and was, throughout the series, eaten for breakfast by the off-spin of Ravichandran Ashwin. Also, let the team down with the ball in each of the first three Tests. A series in which the wizardry miracle man looked like a mere muggle. 

Probably the one player who disappointed the most. He had little match practice heading into the tour, yes, but having displayed elite batsmanship in the first 13 Tests of his career, Pope was no God in the India series. He ended up averaging 19.12 and failed to pass the 35-run mark in each of his 8 innings. Had a fair bit of misfortune, but, against the off-spin of Ashwin, looked more like a baseballer than a cricketer.  

Dan Lawrence: C

Jonny Bairstow: F

Bairstow being rested for the first two Tests of the series created a furore in England, but, much to the visitors’ utter horror, his return proved to be a tragicomedy. The ‘spin specialist’ not only ended up getting dismissed thrice by the slower bowlers but also registered three ducks to take his tally of ducks against India to 6 in the last 10 innings. The Yorkshireman never looked like a force to be reckoned with, and his technique and temperament were exposed by the faultless Indian bowlers. This tour could very much spell curtains to his red-ball career. 

Played a solitary Test owing to the rotation policy and did no wrong in the sole appearance. Did certainly not make a difference, but was solid with both bat and gloves. England sorely missed his batting prowess versus spin in each of the last three Tests.

Ben Foakes: C-

Moeen Ali: B

For someone who hadn’t played Test cricket in 18 months, Moeen Ali’s performance in Chennai, particularly in hindsight, was laudable. He picked 8 wickets, scored a quickfire 43, and despite leaking runs with the ball, bowled more threatening, wicket-taking deliveries than any other English bowler. That his break-time came after the 2nd Test was a huge blow for England, but now with Bess struggling to even land the ball on the wicket, one suspects Moeen might have already regained the tag of the country’s #1 off-spinner. 

Dom Bess had a series of two halves - the one that ravaged India with bat and ball in the first innings of the first Test, and then the one that, post the first innings of Chennai, looked like he’d forgotten how to bowl. Within a span of a day - and no one knows how - Bess from being a x-factor to becoming a liability. He turned into a full-toss and long-hop machine, was dropped from the third Test on a raging turner and in the fourth Test put up the worst display by a specialist spinner in recent memory. He was the first-choice spinner for England not so long ago, but, should he continue bowling the way he currently is, he might once again find it hard to get a gig at county level. 

Jack Leach: A+

Jofra Archer: D

Threatened to have a breakthrough series by blowing away the Indian openers in his very first spell in the tour, but that turned out to be his only decent contribution in the series. Was flat, down on pace, and unthreatening in a vast majority of his spells and turned out to be less of an x-factor and more of a burden. And, contrary to popular thought, is probably also the worst batsman in the side. Another opportunity to impress gone begging.

Raised expectations with a stellar showing in the first Test against Sri Lanka, but, in both the Tests he played, let his team down immeasurably. That he only played on rank-turners cannot be denied, but his bowling lacked zip and bite and he also did not showcase the discipline he is famous for. In both the games Broad played, it did feel like England went into the contest with 10 men. 

Olly Stone: B+

James Anderson: A+

Words simply won’t do justice to James Anderson’s astounding display in the Test series. On the final day of the first Test, he orchestrated the victory for his side with an all-time-great display of reverse-swing bowling and in the final Test, he almost single-handedly threatened to level the series. Anderson took his 8 wickets at 15.87 a piece, but what is scarcely believable is his economy rate - the 38-year-old maintained a preposterous ER of 1.92 after sending down 65.5 overs. If England had batsmen who were more competent, it goes unsaid that Anderson would have bowled the side to a famous series win.