England vs India 2018: 3 Indians who enhanced their reputations after Test series

The curtains are finally falling on the Test series in England. India failed to create history as many would have liked, but they did give England a run for their money on more than a few occasions.

Test series in England, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand can make or break careers of Indian players. The conditions are so alien when compared to the typical sub-continent wickets that it would act as a test of skill, discipline, grit, perseverance, and patience of the players. Thus, the players are guaranteed two outcomes: gain overnight fame or sink into oblivion.

The England-India Test series witnessed quite a few top-notch performances by Indians. Here are 3 who have done their reputation no harm whatsoever:

#3 Ishant Sharma

In his 86th Test match, Ishant Sharma achieved a milestone. A milestone which was both commendable as well as embarrassing. He became the 3rd Indian pacer to scalp 250 wickets and the second slowest bowler in Test history to do so. One can recall the never-ending rope he was given over the course of his eleven-year career. In the end, the decision was right.

Sharma proved to be Cook's nemesis yet again after he accounted for his wicket thrice in the series. His craftiness against southpaws have always been on display and this series was no different. But the surprise package was his inswingers from over the wicket, to right-handers. He actually managed to swing the ball and not just seam it. The swing was so prominent that it ironically led to the ball missing the leg-stump on numerous occasions.

He grabbed 18 wickets with a stingy economy of 2.89 in the series. This is certainly Ishant Sharma at his prime who wouldn't mind bowling to both left and right-handers.

#2 Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja smacked an unbeaten 86 in the first innings of the fifth Test

It took an injured Ashwin to bring Jadeja into the scheme of things. Things have got increasingly difficult for the CSK all-rounder in recent years as he lost his ticket to white-ball cricket and barely managed to sneak into the squad for the longest format. With questions over his batting capabilities and opportunities few and far between, one false performance would have seen the end of 'sir' Jadeja.

The Sourashtra lad, though, walked into the 5th Test cool as a cucumber and let his cricket do the talking. He was the highest wicket-taker in both the innings for India, pocketing seven in total. On top of it, his unbeaten 86 in the first innings is what the fans and connoisseurs had always expected from Jadeja.

Not to forget, this innings came in his first match England and not many would have forgotten the plight of our premier batsmen early in the series. With the left-arm-spinner making a case as a genuine all-rounder, it would be interesting to see how India handle the number seven conundrum in Australia.

#1 Virat Kohli

Kohli amassed a staggering 593 runs in the five-match series

The modern-day great entered the series with a point to prove. Having amassed runs in every part of the world, England was an aberration. He wanted to change it; and change it he did, in style. The 134 runs he scored in the 2014 England series now looks a distant past. Even Anderson, arguably the world's best Test bowler, couldn't lay hands on the King this time around.

Kohli was by far the best batsman from both the teams. Apart from Lord's, he made sizeable contributions in every match. Kohli was disciplined, authoritative, curtailed his instinct to poke at balls outside the off stump and also handed the bowlers due respect; the result - 593 runs in ten innings. With Steve Smith on the sidelines, Kohli's brilliance in the series has established him as the best player in the world right now.