Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Player Ratings for Australia

In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar series, the Aussies beat India by 2-0 and reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It was a keenly contested series as almost all games went to the last day. In the end, however, it can be said that the Australians put in a clinical performance and they never really allowed the Indians to get on top of them.Now that the Test series is over, let’s take a look at how the players of the winning team performed:

#1 David Warner - 8.5/10

David Warner had another brilliant series as he scored 427 runs at an average of 53.37 including 3 centuries. The best part about his batting is that he gets all these runs in real quick time which is evident from his strike rate of 79.66 in the series. The way he just went after the Indian bowlers from the word go really demoralised them and that really enabled Australia to get off to a flyer in almost every innings.

Warner’s twin centuries in the first game were really instrumental in helping the Aussies shake off all the gloom surrounding Phil Hughes’ unfortunate demise and it really got them going. Midway through the series, his form tapered off a little as he often got out trying to play one shot too many. However, on his home ground, he was back with a bang as he slammed another ton. In addition to his swashbuckling batting, he was also the best fielder in the Australian team and gave his all to save a few runs.

#2 Chris Rogers - 8/10

In his own words, Chris Rogers was playing his last test series on Australian soil. And boy did he make it count!!! He was in splendid form right throughout the series as he scored 417 runs at an average of 52.12. His 6 half centuries on the trot bear testimony to his consistency. However, he would have loved to get at least one century in the series.

While Warner went about smashing leather at one end, Rogers looked to hang in at the other end thereby allowing his partner to play his natural game. However, in the 2nd innings of the last Test at Sydney, he played an aggressive knock as there was a need for his team to score quick runs to give the bowlers enough time to bundle out the Indian batsmen.

#3 Shane Watson - 5/10

In contrast to his exacting standards, Shane Watson had a rather disappointing series. Each time he got a start, he was guilty of just throwing it away as he played some really loose shots. As far as his batting numbers in the series are concerned, the 33-year-old scored 238 runs at a below-par average of 29.75. Given that he bats at No.3, one of the most vital positions in Test cricket, a lot more was expected of him.

In this series, Watto did not bowl too much. However, whenever he was pressed into operation, he kept things tight and picked up a few wickets as well. The Australian all-rounder picked up 5 wickets at an average of 48.80. His impact with the ball was felt in the Sydney Test when he picked up wickets off consecutive deliveries and jolted the Indians who were looking good to overhaul Australia’s first innings total.

#4 Michael Clarke - 8.5/10

Though the Australian skipper played just a single game in the series, he did have a telling impact. After all the emotions and the drama that transpired off the field after Phil Hughes’ sad demise, he did an exceptional job of galvanising his troops in the 1st Test. It looked as if the Aussies were playing for one common cause, that being paying a tribute to Phil Hughes and it was Michael Clarke, who also happens to be Phil’s best buddy who led from the front.

In spite of picking up a back injury in the 1st innings, he came out to bat after receiving some treatment and scored a hundred. The way he used Nathan Lyon on a helpful Adelaide track was also pretty appreciable as the offie played a crucial role in winning the first test for Australia. However, owing to the serious nature of his injury, he was ruled out for the remainder of the series.

#5 Steven Smith-9.5/10

The stand-in Australian skipper, Steven Smith was in Bradmanesque form in this series. In 4 tests, he scored 769 runs at a brilliant average of 128.16, including 4 hundreds, one in the first innings of every match in the series. In the process, he equalled Sir Don’s and Jacques Kallis’ record of scoring a hundred in every game of a test series.

Smith also scored a couple of half centuries to go with centuries which meant that off the 8 innings, he went past at least 50 on 6 occasions. That in itself speaks volumes about how much he has matured as a Test batsman. He was also pretty good as a captain. However, he drew flak for his delayed declaration in the 2nd innings of the Melbourne Test which really allowed the Indians to salvage a draw.

In the Sydney test, though, he almost made amends for it by declaring Australia’s second innings at the end of the 4th day and giving his bowlers one full day to have a go at the Indian batsmen. Overall, it can be said that this series has proved it that Smith is going to be the mainstay of the Australian batting in years to come.

#6 Shaun Marsh - 6/10

The last time India toured Australia, Shaun Marsh endured a horrendous series as he mustered a mere 17 runs in 4 games at a paltry average of 2.83. This time, though, he seemed an improved player. Drafted into the team owing to Clarke’s injury, Marsh did a decent job as he scored 254 runs at an average of 42.33. However, the 31-year-old will have to be a lot more consistent to cement his place in the Australian team.

In his first 3 innings of the series, he was guilty of throwing his wicket away after getting off to a good start. However, as he batted along, he grew in confidence and barely missed out on a well-deserved hundred at the M.C.G. In the Sydney Test, too, he managed to cross 50 but failed to reach the 3-figure mark.

#7 Mitchell Marsh - 5/10

The younger Marsh had a curtailed series owing to a hamstring injury. Even in the matches in which he contested, he did not have a profound impact. He scored 98 runs in 2 games at an average of 32.33. Though he got a couple of forties in the first game, he failed to convert them into a substantial score. However, his quick fire 40 off just 26 balls in the 2nd innings of the Adelaide Test allowed Michael Clarke to declare the innings at the end of the fourth day, thereby giving his bowlers an entire day to have a crack at the Indian batsmen.

Coming to his bowling, Mitchell Marsh picked up a solitary wicket at an average of 54. He ticks all the boxes as a fast bowler given that he bowls at a decent pace and has a pretty good control over his line and length. However, he really needs to work on his fitness to translate his ability into some good performances on the field.

#8 Joe Burns - 6/10

Joe Burns was drafted in the Australian team to replace an injured Mitchell Marsh. He had a disastrous debut though as he was dismissed for scores of 13 and 9. However, he found his feet in the Sydney Test as he notched up half centuries in both innings. Overall, he finished the series with an aggregate of 146 runs at an average of 36.50.

Burns played two absolutely contrasting knocks in the Sydney Test and gave a good account of his versatility as a batsman. While he played a very patient knock in the first innings wherein he played the balls on their merit, he went hammer and tongs after the bowlers in the second innings as he smashed 66 runs off just 39 deliveries including 8 fours and 3 sixes. His blazing knock enabled Australia to set a real daunting target for the Indians in the second innings in real quick time.

#9 Brad Haddin - 4/10

The Aussie wicket-keeper had a forgetful series with the bat as he mustered a mere 129 runs at an ordinary average of 25.80. His average was mainly bolstered by 3 innings in which he remained unbeaten. Given that he is 37 years old, the Ashes series in England could be his last series and keeping that in mind, Australia should be looking at life beyond him.

Haddin made up for his batting failures by putting in an absolutely clinical performance behind the stumps. In this series, he effected 22 dismissals by way of 21 catches and 1 stumping. He fell short of equalising Gilchrist’s record for most dismissals in a 4-match test series by just 3 dismissals.

#10 Mitchell Johnson - 6/10

To be very frank, Mitchell Johnson wasn’t exactly as effective as he was in the previous summer. This is very evident from his numbers in the series as he picked up 13 wickets in 3 games at an average of 35.53. His only performance of note with the ball came in the 2nd innings of the Brisbane Test as he just ran through the Indian middle order and thereby prevented them from setting the Aussies a big target.

Johnson’s strategy to get under the skin of the Indian batsmen backfired to a great extent as the Indian batsmen led by Virat Kohli countered him quite effectively. The 33-year-old was pretty decent with the bat too as he aggregated 133 runs at an average of 44.33. He scored these runs in real quick time which is clear from his strike rate of 81.09.

His innings of 88 in the Brisbane Test had a huge impact on the game. At 247/6, Australia were in danger of conceding a huge first innings lead. However, Mitch countered the Indian batsmen quite effectively as he smashed 88 off just 93 balls and took Australia closer to India’s total which they ultimately overhauled.

#11 Mitchell Starc - 5/10

Mitchell Starc featured in just 2 games in the series. In both these games, he did not have too much of an impact as he managed to pick up just 7 wickets at a sub-par average of 36. In the first innings of the Brisbane test, he was surprisingly ineffective on a green top as he leaked runs at almost 5 runs an over. However, he made up for his poor showing with the ball by scoring a quick 52 off just 59 balls and helped Australia take a vital lead of 97 in the first innings.

Starc came back into the team for the final test owing to Mitchell Johnson’s injury. However, he failed to influence the game in either innings. In the 2nd innings, India were 7 wickets down when Australia took the second new ball. Starc though could not do much as he failed to mop up the tail and India salvaged a fighting draw.

#12 Ryan Harris-7/10

Ryan Harris was the workhorse of the Australian pace battery in this series. In the 3 games he played, he sent down 126 overs and picked up 10 wickets at 33.40 apiece. Match after match, he bowled tirelessly and ran in all day to make things happen for his team. The best part about his bowling is that he has this knack of picking up crucial wickets just when the team needs them the most. Given that he was able to play 3 games out of the four, it is very clear that he has worked a lot on his fitness.

Harris’ spell of 4/70 in the first inning of the Melbourne test was instrumental in the Aussies taking a vital lead of 65 in the first innings. Moreover, it was his knock of 74 off just 88 balls that allowed Australia to reach a score of 530 in the first innings as they were 7 down for 376 when he walked in to bat.

#13 Nathan Lyon - 8/10

Well, quite surprisingly, it was Nathan Lyon who ended up as the leading wicket-taker for Australia in this series. In fact, he was also the leading wicket taker from both sides. In 4 games, the offie picked up 23 wickets at an average of 34.82 which includes two fifers and a match haul of 10 wickets in the Adelaide Test. Interestingly, barring the 2nd innings of the Melbourne Test in which he ended wicketless, the 27-year-old scalped at least 2 wickets in each innings he bowled.

In the 1st Test at Adelaide, his home turf, Nathan Lyon shone with the ball as he notched up his first 10 wicket haul in a match. He picked up the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli which triggered an Indian batting collapse and enabled Australia to edge out India. Lyon is perfectly aware of his limitations as a bowler and therefore just looks to bowl a consistent line and length to keep things tight.

#14 Josh Hazlewood - 7/10

Josh Hazlewood was one of the finds of the series for Australia as he impressed one and all with some fine bowling performances. With 12 wickets at an average of 29.33, he had a fairly good outing in his maiden test series. Given that he bowls at a good pace and also gets the ball to move, he can be a very dangerous bowler to face.

Josh proved exactly what he is capable of by picking up a fifer in his very first innings in Test cricket. He was the most impressive of the Australian pace bowlers as he made full use of the pace and the bounce of a responsive Gabba wicket. He did not pick up too many wickets thereafter. However, it is just a matter of time before the 24-year old becomes one of the leading faces of the Australian attack.

#15 Peter Siddle - 2/10

Peter Siddle played just a single game in the series and he looked pedestrian to say the least. In fact, it seems that years of some tireless bowling seem to have taken a toll on his body as his pace has dropped quite significantly. Ever since the Ashes last summer, the 30-year-old has had a lean patch and hasn’t exactly looked like a bowler who will trouble the batsmen.

In the Adelaide Test, Siddle picked up just 2 wickets at a sorry average of 54.50. In the first innings, he conceded runs at almost 5 an over. He kept things tight in the 2nd innings, but was unable to pick up a wicket. Given that Josh Hazlewood has impressed in his maiden test series, Siddle will have to really put in some good performances in the domestic circuit to be in the reckoning for the upcoming Ashes.