Shubman Gill and Axar Patel steal the show as India whitewash ODI series 3-0 against Zimbabwe: Player Ratings for the visitors

Zimbabwe pushed Team India to the limit in the third and final One-Day International on Monday, August 22. The visiting bowlers, however, held their nerve under pressure to secure a 3-0 whitewash, extending India’s unbeaten run against the Chevrons in ODI cricket.

The Men in Blue cruised to comprehensive victories while chasing in the first two ODIs, but the dead rubber put them to the test. To save their blushes, they needed a mature performance from the eventual Player of the Series Shubman Gill coupled with economical bowling by spinners.

Here, we rate how every Indian player performed in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe –

Batters

Shikhar Dhawan – 7/10

Dhawan, the series’ second-highest run-scorer with 154 runs at an average of 77, was a bank at the top of the order as usual. His strike rate of 76.23, on the other hand, was a cause for concern and will need to be addressed in the run-up to the World Cup.

KL Rahul – 3/10

Rahul was a late addition to the squad in order to get some match practise before the Asia Cup, but he didn’t get to bat in the first game and then failed in the second. Although he spent some time in the middle in the final ODI, his strike rate was low and he didn’t appear particularly fluent. The stand-in Indian captaincy and toss decisions were monotonous, as has become the norm.

Shubman Gill – 9/10

Shubman Gill was adjudged the Player of the Series for his ton and fifty

Gill has had outstanding back-to-back series with India’s ODI side. After finishing on 98 not out in the third ODI against the West Indies last month, he was finally able to celebrate his first international century in this series, hitting 130 in the final. In the first ODI, he took India to a thumping 10-wicket win with an unbeaten 82.

Ishan Kishan – 6/10

Kishan had two innings to make his mark. He didn’t help himself with a careless dismissal in the first, but he made up for it with a fifty in the second. The southpaw performed admirably both behind the stumps and on the field.

Sanju Samson – 8/10

Samson, who was named Player of the Match in the second ODI for his 43* and a few stunning catches, had a good series. After India was reduced to 97-4 in the second ODI, he led them to victory with an unbeaten 43 off 39 balls. He delivered a couple of ferocious blows in the final ODI as well, and with the exception of a missed stumping, he didn’t put a foot wrong.

Deepak Hooda – 4/10

A 36-ball 25 in the second ODI continued his run of starts in ODIs, but a substantial score awaits. Five of his six scores in the format have been in the 25-33 range. The spin-bowling all-rounder picked up the timely wicket of Sean Williams in the second ODI.

Bowlers

Axar Patel – 9/10

Axar Patel scalped six wickets in the three-match ODI series

Axar didn’t have much to do with the bat, but he finished the series as the series’ leading wicket-taker, with six scalps at an incredible economy rate of 3.02. His inward angle and unwavering accuracy left the Zimbabwe batters speechless.

Kuldeep Yadav – 7/10

In the three-match series, Kuldeep had only three victims, but he bowled well. The Zimbabwe batters were wary of him, as he finished with an economy rate of 4.39. The Men in Blue, on the other hand, will want more penetration from their talented chinaman.

Shardul Thakur – 7/10

Thakur took four wickets in two games, with his three-wicket haul in the second ODI helping India beat Zimbabwe easily. His accuracy wasn’t always there, but he always produced breakthroughs at a crucial juncture of the game.

Deepak Chahar – 8/10

Making his comeback from a lengthy injury layoff, Chahar took three wickets in the first ODI and was named Player of the Match. After being rested for the second match, the talented swing bowler took another two wickets in the final ODI despite leaking away 75 runs in his allotted 10 overs. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the series in what was another promising performance by the swing master.

Mohammed Siraj – 8/10

Siraj wasn’t as daunting as he would have liked, with only two wickets in two matches, but he was consistent throughout and kept the Zimbabwe batters on a leash. His 3.25 economy rate also stood out.

Prasidh Krishna – 8/10

Prasidh is the X-factor that India needs, both with the new ball and in the middle overs. Despite his tendency to lose the plot on occasion, his four wickets were the result of his ability to generate sharp seam movement and bounce. The pacer is quickly becoming an important part of India’s ODI strategy.

Avesh Khan – 5/10

Playing the third ODI to get some game time ahead of the Asia Cup, Avesh was wayward for most of his spell. Although he eventually managed to finish with a three-fer, his lack of variations and inability to bowl to plans have often hurt India in the recent past.