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At Chepauk, Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari struck an unbeaten 58 to take his team to a tense two-wicket win in a chase of 128 against Madhya Pradesh. Four of Andhra’s top-five batsmen, Vihari excepted, were dismissed for single-digit scores. Vihari then steadied them from 26 for 4 with a 38-run stand with Dasari Chaitanya (19). Duvavarapu Siva Kumar and Dasari Swaroop Kumar made identical contributions of 16 each to take Andhra closer to the target, but it was Vihari who stayed till the end, having ground it out for 112 balls. Ishwar Pandey led the wicket charts for MP with 3 for 31.Siva Kumar and Swaroop Kumar also came good with the ball after Andhra opted to put MP in. Siva Kumar took 3 for 17 in nine overs, while Swaroop Kumar took 2 for 27 in five overs. Bandaru Ayyappa and Bhargav Bhatt took the other five wickets between them as MP were bowled out for 127. Saransh Jain top-scored for MP with 56.Rujul Bhatt’s maiden List A five-wicket haul helped Gujarat bowl out Goa for 199 and defeat them by 78 runs. Bhatt broke an important partnership of 119 for the fourth wicket between Amogh Desai (61) and Snehal Kauthankar (64) in Goa’s chase of 278. Kauthankar was sent back next over, and from there, Goa never recovered. Gujarat’s new-ball pair of Ishwar Chaudhary (3-34) and Jasprit Bumrah(2-34) took the other five wickets.Gujarat’s total of 277 for 9 was set up by their openers Parthiv Patel and Priyank Panchal. Patel top-scored with 89, while Panchal’s golden domestic season translated into yet another half-century. The duo put on 118 before Panchal was caught behind off legspinner Ganeshraj Narvekar for 57. Manprit Juneja struck 39 at No. 4, even as a procession of wickets reduced Gujarat from 154 for 1 to 182 for 6. Bumrah then scored an unbeaten 42 off 24 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes to lead a late revival.Mumbai showed their all-round dominance over Rajasthan with a five-wicket win. After opting to put the opposition in, Mumbai restricted Rajasthan to 181 for 9 in a match reduced to 38 overs per side. Mahipal Lomor top-scored for Rajasthan with 49 and Salman Khan made 37, but the rest either did not get off to starts or failed to convert them. Mumbai’s bowlers shared the wickets around, but Shardul Thakur topped the wickets column with 3 for 47 in eight overs, while his new-ball partner Shivam Malhotra also shone with 2 for 19 in eight overs.Mumbai’s top and middle order came good in the chase. Akhil Herwadkar scored 50 and shared a second-wicket stand of 67 with Shreyas Iyer (41 off 32), before Aditya Tare, the captain and wicketkeeper, struck an unbeaten 36 to close out he game at the start of the 30th over. Offspinner Tajinder Singh took three wickets for Rajasthan, but was expensive, leaking 45 runs.

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah is reportedly the subject of a world-record £215 million ($271m) transfer bid from Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad.

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Window still open in the Middle EastEgyptian star a top targetReds reluctant to do businessWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egypt international has already seen the Reds reject one approach for his services that was said to be worth £150m ($189m). That offer was lodged prior to the summer window in England slamming shut. Teams in the Middle East are still in a position to bolster their respective ranks, meaning that Liverpool’s resolve continues to be tested.

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According to , Al-Ittihad have a deal on the table that is worth an initial £170m ($214m) – with that package rising to £215m once various add-ons are taken into consideration. Salah is also said to have been presented with a contract that would earn him £2.45m ($3m) a week.

DID YOU KNOW?

Salah’s contract would include a number of added incentives, with the 31-year-old set to be awarded a share of all shirt sales, a £55,000 win bonus as well as ambassadorial roles with three major Saudi companies that would be active throughout the length of his stay.

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Jurgen Klopp has maintained that Salah is not for sale, and that stance is unlikely to be relaxed with Liverpool in a position where they would be unable to bring in a replacement for their talismanic forward if he were to move on. If Al-Ittihad failed to land the Premier League icon at this stage, then they will rekindle their interest when the transfer window reopens.

Manchester United bidders INEOS, who are fronted by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are 'cautiously optimistic' over their chances of sealing a deal to take over at Old Trafford, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest takeover news involving Manchester United?

As per Sky Sports, Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS are said to be the 'leading candidate' to assume control of Manchester United from the Glazer family.

The report states that Ratcliffe wants to buy a majority controlling stake in the Premier League giants that would leave Joel and Avram Glazer in minority stakeholding positions and INEOS remain the preferred option despite a new offer from rival bidder Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.

Former Manchester United icon Gary Neville has spoken about his frustration surrounding the ownership debacle on Twitter, stating: "Plainly obvious the Glazer family aren’t going to announce anything on the ownership until the season is closed! They’ve been spinning it out unprofessionally for weeks and months now. They know fan protests would have been more significant than they already have if matches were still being played and the end result of the sale process is unpopular."

INEOS want to purchase 69% of the club, whereas Sheikh Jassim and the Nine Two Foundation want to claim 100% of Manchester United and clear debt owed by the club, as per GOAL.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Ratcliffe and his INEOS team will be quietly confident over their chances of becoming the new owners of the Red Devils.

Jacobs told FFC: "INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have a flexible offer on the table, they're prepared to get in control of the club and allow Joel and Avram Glazer to stay, but they're also prepared to buy 69% of the football club. As a consequence of that and because their valuation is higher than the Nine Two Foundation, at around £6.5 billion, there's less of a negotiation there and more questioning around technical points of that bid and INEOS remain cautiously optimistic."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will be keen to focus on matters on the field and will be readying his side for another tilt at trophy glory this weekend as they prepare to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

The Red Devils have already recorded Carabao Cup success this term and Ten Hag will want to add another trophy to his cabinet to complement what has been a commendable season in charge as his side will also have Champions League football to look forward to in 2023/24.

Transfer targets will also be on the agenda for Manchester United and they are reportedly going to make a 'formal approach' to try and acquire Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, as per Sky Sports.

Mount may be the first of several arrivals at Old Trafford as things get set to hot up on and off the pitch at Manchester United in the next few weeks.

Lord’s has hosted many memorable encounters over the years, but Wednesday’s meeting between the counties and the ECB executive promises to rival the best of them for ferocity and, in its way, significance

George Dobell13-Sep-2016Lord’s has hosted many memorable encounters over the years, but Wednesday’s meeting between the counties and the ECB executive promises to rival the best of them for ferocity and, in its way, significance.The chairmen and chief executives of all 18 counties and the MCC are meeting to discuss their options for the future shape of the domestic T20 competition in England and Wales. It is no exaggeration to state that the conclusions reached could amount to the most significant changes to the face of England cricket since the introduction of limited-overs cricket in 1963 or the birth of professional T20 cricket in 2003.On one side you have those who insist a new T20 tournament featuring eight city-based teams is essential if cricket is to recapture the interest of the general public. On the other, you have those who warn that such a move will marginalise several first-class counties and further decrease the visibility of the game in the market towns and small cities where it is still relevant.The issue of free-to-air broadcasting and the value of potential broadcast deals will also be relevant. Some counties are incredulous at the difference in value placed on the options by the ECB’s ‘independent’ broadcast analysts. Some insist that free-to-air is essential if the game is to return to relevance in the public consciousness.It seems unlikely the consensus the ECB executive seeks will be reached today. They were hoping to agree one of the five options they set before the counties a few weeks ago with a view taking it to the ECB board for approval in October. But, with counties still asking for more information about the details and several insistent that their members have to be consulted, not enough seem ready to commit.Indeed, as they consider the implications of a city-based tournament – and as their members learn of those implications – it seems support for a two division tournament featuring all 18 teams has grown once more. This was the original recommendation of the ECB working party charged with looking into options a year or two ago, but it was subsequently shelved after concerns that it might limit the opportunity for lucrative local derbies.But a suggestion made by Glamorgan could offer a solution. ESPNcricinfo understands that they have put forward a plan whereby the T20 season would start with a weekend of local derbies – double-headers if necessary – that do not have any connection with the competition. While it is not a perfect solution – the issue of who would host such games is one problem – it may be enough to convince the waverers.One of the primary concerns is the implication to all other cricket by trying to create a July window for the new T20 tournament. The counties are worried that either the Championship will be diluted by the absence of around 100 of the best players, or that it will not be played at all for a month.ESPNcricinfo understands a suggestion has been made about cutting the Championship season to as few as 10 games – featuring three divisions of six teams – to make space for the new T20 competition while even Mike Fordham, the man hired by the ECB to launch the new competition (he fulfilled a similar role with the IPL and the CPL) has warned against comparisons with the BBL. Research has shown a tournament based in eight Test-hosting cities in England and Wales would cover only 25% of the population compared to 65% in Australia cover by the six BBL-hosting cities.While NatWest Blast attendances have risen by more than 60% since the introduction of a predictable schedule (generally on Friday nights) three years ago, it is ironic that many of the potential hosts of the eight-team tournament have seen ticket sales stall in recent times.Hampshire’s have grown by just 1% in that time (and dropped in 2016) while Lancashire’s have grown by 3% and again shrunk in 2016. Yorkshire’s and Durham’s attendance figures also fell in 2016. It may well grate on those counties where attendances have increased sharply – Northants, Gloucestershire, Essex and Worcestershire, for example – to forgo their place in the premier T20 competition to those who have failed to seize the format’s potential as well.If the ECB executive force a vote – and it seems unlikely they will take such a chance – it is far from certain they will win. And if they lose, it may well be that the resignation of the ECB chief executive and, perhaps, its chairman are requested.

The ICC has formally opened an application process on Wednesday for a new USA coach, who will officially start duty at WCL Division Four in Los Angeles later this year.A minimum level 2 coaching accreditation is among the qualifications listed for the role. The role came under scrutiny following USA’s performance at the World T20 Qualifier last year when opener Akeem Dodson criticised coach Charlie Javed for lacking a Level 1 certificate and the team’s inability to qualify for the World T20 in India.Prior to Javed, USA had been coached on a contract basis by Robin Singh although his tenure produced fractious moments with players. Most notable was the dispute between Singh and players Orlando Baker and Timroy Allen, who vowed never to play for USA again. Allen has not played for USA since he was vice-captain at the 2013 World T20 Qualifier, but has since participated in ICC-conducted trials in USA. He went on to play for a combined ICC Americas squad in January and performed well enough to earn a Caribbean Premier League contract with Jamaica Tallawahs.Among those believed to have expressed interest in the role are Mike Young and Doug Watson. Young has built his reputation as one of the world’s premier fielding coaches, having been part of the coaching staff of three World Cup winning squads with Australia, and was also on the coaching staff of IPL champions Deccan Chargers in 2009. Young was part of the coaching team for the ICC Americas squad in January and has been heavily involved in the talent evaluation process at ICC Combines conducted around USA in 2015 and 2016.Watson is a former South African first-class player who served as assistant coach for Mumbai Indians in 2009. He most recently served as head coach of Namibia from 2012 to 2015.The ICC stated in a press release that applications will be accepted till July 20. A 30-man shortlist of players chosen from the recent ICC Combines is due to arrive in Florida on July 27 for a week-long USA national team camp, of which a 14-man squad is expected to be chosen for WCL Division Four.

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has been slammed after walking straight down the tunnel on Sunday as his teammates offered their appreciation to the travelling fans.

Will United still finish in the top four?

It was a dismal display at St. James' Park from Erik ten Hag's side who comfortably beaten by Newcastle United and that was acknowledged by the Dutch manager: “Today the best team won, I hate to say it,” he said after the defeat.

The loss on Tyneside saw Eddie Howe's men climb above the Red Devils in the table and up to third spot with Tottenham Hotspur playing their game on Monday night.

United still have games in hand over the north London club so the defeat has not put too much of a dent in their hopes, however, it was the manner of the defeat which will hurt most.

And for the travelling fans, the least they will expect is to be thanked by the players on the back of such a poor display away from home.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Alex Crook learned the £250k-per-week Martial was a player to ignore the fans as he headed for the dressing room which enraged the pundit:

(0:35) "That is shocking from the Manchester United players. If they're not wanting to salute the away fans, Martial in particular, where have you been all season, fella? You make one appearance and think you can skulk off down the tunnel. Unbelievable!"

Does Martial have a future at Old Trafford?

The Frenchman's big-money arrival from Monaco has failed to really match the expectations set on him, however, this is something which is unlikely to go down well among the fans.

Martial now has just over one-year remaining on his current deal with the Red Devils and it could certainly be envisaged that a potential move could be lying ahead in the summer.

Having made 10 appearances this season in the Premier League, Martial has returned three goals and two assists (via Transfermarkt).

Considering he has only played 489 minutes of league action, this is actually not too shabby of a return, however, it is evident he is not in the immediate plans of Ten Hag.

It is apparent why Martial will have frustrations over his lack of game time and on the back of a dreadful display from all in a red shirt.

He came on with around half an hour remaining, but he failed to provide much of an impact having only recorded 16 touches of the ball (via SofaScore).

But failing to acknowledge the travelling fans will certainly fail to endear the Frenchman with the United faithful ahead of what could be a pivotal summer in his career.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a potential swoop for Real Madrid starlet, Eduardo Camavinga, as Erik ten Hag seeks to bolster his midfield options this summer.

What's the latest on Camavinga to Man United?

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils have reportedly 'registered an interest' in the France international, with the Premier League giants said to be 'in the market' for a new midfielder ahead of next season.

The report suggests, however, that it could well prove difficult to prise the 20-year-old from the Spanish capital as he is deemed 'not for sale' by Los Blancos, with the youngster seemingly tipped to be a key figure of the future at the Bernabeu.

The piece goes on to add that former Stade Rennais sensation – who made the move to Madrid on a £34m deal back in 2021 – would be valued at a similar fee to that of Borussia Dortmund hero, Jude Bellingham, with reports in Spain suggesting that Camavinga's asking price could be as much as €130m (£114m).

Who could Camavinga replace at Man United?

The Old Trafford outfit did of course prise another midfield maestro from the La Liga side last year in the form of Casemiro, although Ten Hag and co seemingly appear intent on securing the services of a player to line up alongside the influential Brazilian in the centre of the park.

At present, the injury woes of Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen have seen Fred typically take on that role alongside his compatriot, albeit with the jury out still out on whether the diminutive machine is of the quality required to truly flourish at the elite level.

Although the former Shakhtar Donetsk man has enjoyed notable standout moments in recent months – notably scoring a vital equaliser in the Europa League, second-leg win over Barcelona – rarely can the 30-year-old sustain a performance across 90 minutes.

That inconsistency was evident in the win over Leicester City last month with the 32-cap menace producing 'another nightmare' display in the first half – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – only to go on to register an assist for teammate Marcus Rashford after the break.

Such frustrating outings will have likely left Ten Hag perplexed at times, hence the need to focus on acquiring a possible upgrade this summer in the form of the highly-rated, Camavinga.

While the latter man has been forced to operate in a left-back berth in recent times under Carlo Ancelotti, it is in midfield that the left-footer is truly at his best, having been described as an asset who "plays with a cigar in his mouth" by Sky Sports reporter Nubaid Haroon such is his composure on the ball.

The Angola-born gem – who has also been lauded as "special player" by Haroon – does appear to be a true all-round package, showcased by the fact that can provide quality in a defensive sense as he ranks in the top 6% among his European peers for tackles made.

Equally, the emerging superstar is also truly gifted on the ball as he ranks in the top 4% for pass completion, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 10% for progressive carries, showcasing his ability to simply glide forward with a surging, driving run from deep.

By contrast, while Fred also ranks in the top 6% for tackles made, the 5 foot 7 dud is far less comfortable with the ball at his feet as he ranks in just the top 63% for pass completion, the top 34% for successful take-ons and only the bottom 29% for progressive carries, proving something of a liability in possession.

With there also a need to freshen up the midfield with a youthful addition – with Casemiro, Eriksen and Fred all into their thirties – it does seemingly make sense to plump for the exciting Camavinga in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major boost in their hopes to bring Mauricio Pochettino back to the club…

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

Antonio Conte's future in north London seems rather dubious, with the 53-year-old unlikely to remain in the dugout much past the current season, even suggesting himself that he may be sacked before then.

Former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettio has since been heavily linked with a return and according to journalist Paul Brown, the Argentine is "open" to a comeback.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

"[Daniel] Levy usually gets what Levy wants. If both those conditions are met, I think you're quite likely to see Pochettino back at Spurs.

"But you have to wonder what other options Pochettino might have. He's always seemed pretty open to a return and to finishing a job he feels he never really got to see through the first time around."

Is Pochettino coming back to Tottenham?

Spurs have endured a tumultuous time ever since they sacked Pochettino after a five-year spell back in late November 2019 as not even Jose Mourinho or Conte has been able to replicate similar consistency that saw them achieve three successive top-three finishes and being runners-up in the Champions League, despite being well-backed to do so.

The 51-year-old made a name for himself at Tottenham and whilst silverware eluded him, he regularly had the team punching above their weight both domestically and in Europe and most importantly, players loved him.

Reports have recently emerged suggesting that several key stars and staff at Hotspur Way have pleaded for Pochettino and his progressive style to return to north London, which says a lot.

Since his departure, the Lilywhites have been strangled by dogmatic, defensively-minded and quite frankly boring football, with the two aforementioned managers plus Nuno Espirito Santo sucking any excitement out of the team through their stubborn set-ups.

That is why a return for the "world-class" – in the words of talkSPORT's Jamie O'Hara – former Paris Saint-Germain manager is needed to get the club rocking once again.

There were some scintillating moments under the stewardship of the Argentine, ranging from that night in Amsterdam to defeating heavyweights like Real Madrid and handing Pep Guardiola his first taste of defeat on English soil

Then when you throw in the two finals they made, without much financial backing at all, the job he did was pretty remarkable. Nothing of the sort can be said about the Mourinho or Conte eras, that's for sure.

A lot of Pochettino's touch still remains around north London, particularly when you consider the likes of Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Heung-min Son are all still starting each and every week, so he'd need very little time to slot back in, you'd imagine.

It was ultimately one bad season that cost him his job and it's likely one of Levy's biggest regrets, given how things have gone since.

As such, it's time for the Spurs supremo to make the right decision and bring Pochettino back to Tottenham Hotspur. It could be his final roll of the dice in what has been a controversial and lacklustre reign indeed.

AND in other news, Worse than Sanchez: Spurs disaster who lost the ball 34x is "a massive waste of money"…

Michael Slater was virtually unstoppable in the 1994-95 Ashes

03-Jan-2007

It was my first home Ashes series and I scored really consistently in a really great team. With three hundreds in five Tests I was stoked to back up what I did in England in ’93. To start with 176 in Brisbane was phenomenal. I was so excited and nervous. The first morning was electric and I was so pumped up.I hit a four first ball off Daffy DeFreitas – it was swinging away but I saw it swinging, it was a bit short and wide enough for a good cut shot – and hit another later in the over. All my nerves went into the shot. The four later in the over went over gully and was out of control. At that point the Australian crowd went beserk and I noticed a few of the England players’ body language changed. A couple of heads – not all of them – went down and you could see they were thinking “here we go again”. At Edgbaston in 2001 it was a bit of blur when I hit Gough for 16 in the first over, but I remember the fieldsmen behind me almost giggling at what was happening.In Brisbane it was a terrific day, although I’d put on nearly 100 with Mark Taylor when I ran him out. The rate wasn’t something I was thinking of much [his strike-rate was 72 and he hit 25 fours]. It was very productive but I was still disappointed I got out. I was trying to accelerate and instead of lofting Graham Gooch I hit him to mid-off. Caught Gatting bowled Gooch hasn’t happened very often. I soaked up the crowd as I raised my bat and all but one of my team-mates was really happy with me. ‘Tubby’ Taylor was furious: “What did you do that for? You could have got through the day but you went and committed Hari Kari.”I got 103 in the second innings of the third Test at Sydney, where the end of the match was weird and we hung on. Tubby and I decided we’d bat normally [the target was 449] and we made a good start. The nature of my innings was the longer I was there the more aggressive I’d become, and Tubby was playing a lot of pull shots so we had a lot of confidence. We really enjoyed batting together and whenever I walked out with him I felt very secure. Our midwicket conferences would start off very focussed at the start and then get more light-hearted as we went on.We focussed right through this partnership and set little targets and at 0 for 200 we thought we might be able to do it. Then I got out and Tubby got out and wickets started to fall quickly [Australia went from 1 for 208 to 7 for 292]. We had to clamp down and at the end Tim May thought it was time, but because of some rain there were more overs to be bowled. We were starting to cheer the draw, but they had to go back for two more overs. That game showed how hard it is chasing big totals. There’s the pressure and things shift quickly. It was a draw but it felt like a win.I felt the gods were on my side in Perth when I was dropped three times. Dev [Malcolm] was bowling like the wind but didn’t get a wicket in the first innings. Dev had a slingy action and was so unpredictable. A couple of spells in that match were the quickest I ever faced. He forced me to fend a ball and the edge went to Gooch and he dropped it while diving.

When I was in about my 60s I hit an easy caught and bowled but Dev dropped it. I didn’t know it at the time, but Dev was quite blind. Then I top-edged a ball and started to walk off because thought I was caught by Dev – he made a mess of it. I was assisted with my 124, but once you get going at Perth you’re hard to stop.I hadn’t thought too much about the Man-of-the-Series award until just before the presentation when one of the guys said I was a chance. With three 100s I thought I might be and there were two Toyota Ravs. The prize went to Craig McDermott [32 wickets with four five-fors] and he had been awesome throughout the series. He was a great spearhead.It was Gatting and Gooch’s last Test and we sat in the home dressing room for hours and hours. There were about eight blokes and sitting there talking with guys I had watched for years was amazing. I was 24 and my friends would never have believed what was happening. We were supposed to get inoculations for the West Indies trip that followed and I got in trouble for not being there to get the yellow fever one.Series in England always feel different, but for this home Ashes I was still riding the crest of a wave. I was going up and up rapidly and my memories are it was the time of my life. I was such a free spirit when batting – I felt the most free of my whole career. My defence was solid, my technique was good and I wasn’t yet in the phase when I became a bit looser. My batting was safe and I just loved it.

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan04-Jul-2006India

9

Rahul Dravid
No one would grudge him the Man of the Series award, especially after his never-to-be-forgotten twin fifties in the final Test at Kingston. With four half-centuries and one hundred, he was the talismanic presence in the Indian side and took some bold decisions throughout. His catching at slip was a bit suspect at times, and his field placements, on occasions caused a few heads to spin, but those were just small blips in a memorable summer. Purely on batting alone, he had no peer.Anil Kumble
Tireless as ever, Kumble showed his unquenchable thirst for a fight. In a series where no bowler managed more than 150 overs and on pitches that didn’t offer him much support, Kumble sent down 223.1 overs and always provided some solidity at one end. He was streets ahead in the wicket-takers’ lists (with 23 wickets he had eight more than Corey Collymore at second place) and it was only fitting that he finished it off at Kingston. His batting was crucial too – his partnership with VVS Laxman at St Kitts went a long way in thwarting West Indies while his 45 at Kingston proved vital in the final analysis.8

Munaf Patel
On his first foreign tour, bowling largely on shirt-fronts, Munaf took several strides forward. He cranked up the pace consistently and hit the splice of the bat even when the pitch didn’t offer any assistance. Barring a brief session at St Kitts, when Sarwan pelted him for six fours in an over, he managed a steady length and troubled all with reverse swing too.Virender Sehwag
For sheer impact, it would be tough to find an innings as glorious as Sehwag’s hundred at St Lucia. On the first morning of the Test, with speculation rife about a green pitch, he manhandled the bowling as only he can. His rapidfire fifty at St Kitts gave India a whiff of winning a contest where they had played catch up throughout. Sehwag’s bowling also developed wonderfully on this tour – the fact that India chose four bowlers reposing faith in his bowling ability must tell you something. He teased with his offbreaks and his nine wickets in the series at 23.22 were thoroughly deserved.Wasim Jaffer
India’s fightback in the first Test at Antigua revolved around Jaffer’s magnificent maiden Test double hundred, an innings where he produced some gorgeous strokes on a slow pitch. The value of his twin fifties at St Kitts, when India had their backs to the wall, should also not be underestimated. He fumbled a few chances at slip, surprising given how safe he is while fielding in that position for Mumbai.7
Sreesanth
Sreesanth showed why he was rated so highly by the team management with some inspired spells when they were needed. He gave India a wonderful start on the final day of the Antigua Test, only to be thwarted by the last-wicket partnership, and was outstanding in the decider at Kingston. His batting too showed some promise though his out-fielding, at times, left a lot to be desired.

Harbhajan Singh
Shrouded by intrigue for the first half of the series, Harbhajan delivered fine spells in the final two games. His two five-wicket hauls were a study in contrast – the first, at St Kitts, came when West Indies were looking for quick runs, the second came in just 4.3 overs on the second day of the final Test. His unbeaten 38 at St Kitts also proved crucial in frustrating West Indies.VVS Laxman
Laxman’s workman-like hundred at St Kitts helped India claw their way back into the game, one in which they were heavily up against the odds. He showed glimpses of his vintage best but mostly preferred to grind it out on a pitch that was slow from the outset. He followed it up with a fifty in the second innings ensuring that they left unscathed.Mohammad Kaif
Kaif’s maiden hundred at St Lucia put India on course for a big first-innings total. After nearly seven years in international cricket, he finally seemed to have cemented his place in the middle order. However, he looked out of place in the next two games and needs to show more consistency if he harbours hopes of a permanent slot. He was an energetic presence while fielding in the covers but his close-in catching wasn’t upto the mark.6
VRV Singh
VRV Singh showed tremendous promise in the two Tests he played, turning in some fiery spells. He even impressed Brian Lara, who didn’t hesitate to complement him at the end of the series. One thought he was under-bowled in the second innings at St Lucia, despite having a good outing in the first innings. His batting though, an aspect where he has shown some ability at domestic level, produced more humour than results.Mahendra Singh Dhoni
It was unfortunate that the Caribbean public didn’t get to see Dhoni in his full splendour. He carted the bowling around in the second innings at Antigua, when India were pushing for a declaration, but managed only 99 runs in the other six innings. His wicketkeeping, though, improved as the tour went along and he gave a good account of himself against both spin and pace.5
Yuvraj Singh
An average of 17.33 in four Tests, with a highest score of 39, tells you what a poor series it was for Yuvraj. He gave glimpses of overcoming the lean run, especially in Kingston when he began with some confident drives, but invariably got out owing to poor shot selection. His fielding, though, remained sharp.4
Irfan Pathan
It was a harsh learning curve for Pathan, going from India’s golden boy to fifth-choice bowler in a span of a few months. After a poor showing in the one-dayers, he only played in one Test and, though he showed signs of improvement, was nowhere close to his best.