India's win in the NatWest trophy was more than just another one-day triangular victory in the mad modern clutter of such tournaments. It presaged the coming of a new generation in Indian cricket, and perhaps the beginning of a new era, when blazing subcontinental talent would no longer be accompanied by mercurialness and inconsistency. This was a team that did not choke, after repeatedly being given opportunities to do so; they chased large totals successfully without losing their nerve; they finished matches. And most importantly, they performed as a team, with almost every playing member contributing, not just with bat and ball, but also on the field. 9 – Mohammad Kaif
It's never easy batting at No. 7, but Kaif performed every time he was called upon to do so – except in the meaningless last group game against England when the whole side capitulated – and was unbeaten at the end of three successful Indian chases, including, of course, the final. A man widely considered to have the technique and temperament to be a future Indian No. 3 in both forms of the game, he was a revelation hustling runs and boundaries down the order, and doing so in a calm, calculated manner, without a hint of panic. His fielding lifted the team, and along with Yuvraj Singh, he gave India a sharpness in the field they have rarely had. He has the mind, the talent and the temperament; a one-day average of 45 is nice, but the value of the runs he has made in his short career is far more than figures can indicate.

9 – Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj deserved to be Man of the Series, not just for consistency – that Marcus Trescothick displayed – but matchwinning consistency. His partnership with Rahul Dravid in the first game against England carried India to an unlikely victory, and he played useful late-order knocks all through the rest of the series, including a crucial 31 in the first run-chase against Sri Lanka, and an explosive 19-ball 40 in the second game against England. The impetuosity that marked the early months of his career has been replaced by a steely determination to win matches, and India are the winners for that.

8.5 – Rahul Dravid
He had a forgettable game both behind the stumps and in front of them in the finals, but had much to do with India getting there in the first place. The decision to make him keep wicket seemed an unviable compromise when the series began, but was borne out by the passion and commitment he showed in his new role. In all the league games he played, he was immaculate with the keeping gloves on, and a man transformed while batting. He played two matchwinning knocks with India chasing, and batting at No. 5, served a hard riposte to all those who say he can't play one-day cricket. His solidity was supplemented with improvisatory finesse and some hard running between the wickets, and his judgment of the chase was always perfect. India moved Sachin Tendulkar down to No. 4 so that he could be their Michael Bevan; they might just have found their man in Dravid.

8 – Sachin Tendulkar
Sure, he'll get his share of flak for failing once again in a finals, but India's best batsman topped the aggregate for them and made two centuries batting at No. 4. The decision to bat him there is inspired, and justified. He imparts solidity to the middle-order while the top-order, with Virender Sehwag opening with Sourav Ganguly, remains as explosive. And his centuries showed that he is just as effective a gatherer as he was a hunter, and can influence the decision of more games in that role than he has done in the past.

8 – Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly found his touch with the bat only during his final blitz, but he led from the front throughout. Always visible on the field, talking to his bowlers, bowling the occasional useful spell himself when required, wearing his heart and his emotions on his sleeve, he was an inspired presence. Every strategic decision he took – Tendulkar at No. 4, Dravid keeping and at No. 5 – paid off handsomely. He has backed young players he has believed in previously as well – most famous being his insistence on Harbhajan Singh's inclusion before last year's series against Australia – and played a part in resurrecting Yuvraj's career after he was dropped last year. He is forging a team for the future, and the fruits of his labour are beginning to ripen.

6.5 – Anil Kumble
His figures say it all: 0 for 46 in ten overs; 0 for 43 in ten; 2 for 36 in ten; 2 for 39 in seven; and 1 for 54 in ten in the finals. He kept the runs down effectively in the middle overs, but didn't pick up enough wickets doing so. He played his part well, and despite competition from Harbhajan Singh, remains India's No. 1 spinner in the one-day game.

6 – Zaheer Khan
Zaheer bowled superbly at the death, and topped the wicket-takers list with 14 wickets in the series, five ahead of the nearest Englishman. He could never quite get it together with the new ball though, always being wayward in his first spell, the occasional good ball being sandwiched by bad ones. His bowling at the end made up for that to some extent, but India need much more from him to have a chance of winning the World Cup.

6 – Ashish Nehra
Nehra was superb with the new ball in his first few games in the series, moving the ball both ways and exploiting the conditions well, but he lost it in the last two, and gave away too many hit-me balls. He was still India's best opening bowler, but that was purely by default.

6 – Virender Sehwag
Sehwag made 71 in the first game and got a few starts, but he played too impetuously and often gave his wicket away trying one big shot too many. True, his brief is to go out there and slam-bang away, as Sachin used to, but as his hero did in the last few years, he should also inculcate a sense of balance in his strokeplay.

6 - Ajit Agarkar
Like Zaheer, Agarkar was wayward in the first 15, but excellent with the old ball. He wasn't called upon to do much with the bat, but must work on his bowling with the new ball.

6 - Harbhajan Singh
Got hammered in the first game against England, but came back well with a four-for in the final group game against Sri Lanka, and bowled a fair spell of ten overs for 53 in the finals, when everyone else went for more runs per over. Having to compete with Anil Kumble for a place in the XI limited his opportunities in this series, but he clearly is up to the task. Played a nice little cameo in the run-chase in the finals, though he ended it on a bad note with a stupid dismissal. Thankfully for him, it did not matter in the end.

4 – Dinesh Mongia
He got a few starts but did not convert any of them, and while he always looked good while at the crease, he has yet to cement his place at No. 3 in the side. The No. 3 batsman in the team ideally has to be a builder of innings, someone like a Dravid, but Mongia was too impetuous, and impatient, for that role. His place will be seriously under threat in matches to come.

4 - VVS Laxman and Ajay Ratra
Both Laxman and Ratra got just one game each, the rain-shortened match against England, and did not impress. Ratra missed a stumping and fumbled a few times, while Laxman could not build the kind of innings he would normally have in the frenetic circumstances. Both of them remain very much in the frame though.

3 - Tinu Yohannan
He was wayward and unimpressive in the one chance he got. Javagal Srinath recently referred to him as the best athlete he has ever seen in the Indian team – clearly, that is not enough.

Amit Varma is assistant editor of Wisden.com in India.

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