Even as the BCCI recommended preparing sporting wickets that are nearly as full of beans as Perth, India fell back on their tried-and-tested spin theory to ease to a 2-0 series win over Zimbabwe. After pulping the tourists at Nagpur, they stumbled across the finish line in Delhi, thanks mainly to Sourav Ganguly and the spinners - not to mention Zimbabwe's stage fright. But euphoria must wait until India get a decent result against testing opposition on pitches where the ball doesn't turn square. Here, we look at how the players rated. 8 – Harbhajan Singh
The figures will tell you that he got only 12 wickets to Anil Kumble's 16, but Harbhajan's contribution was immense. He bowled superbly while going wicketless in the first innings at Nagpur, but made up with a sensational spell on the final morning as Zimbabwe battled to stay afloat. On a manna-from-heaven track for the spinners at the Kotla, he was no less influential. He got Andy Flower at bat-pad in both innings, the first dismissal especially crucial as Zimbabwe had batted themselves into a healthy position. Saved his best for the final innings where Zimbabwe had no answers to his flight and wicked turn. A first-ever caught-and-bowled dismissal was the claret to wash down a feast. 8 – Anil Kumble
Say what you will about his travel sickness, but on home pitches, Kumble is a class apart. Apart from a brief period in the first innings at Delhi when Andy Flower punished some uncharacteristically loose stuff, he was never dominated. Forget domination, most of the Zimbabwe batsmen had problems picking him. Spun his leg breaks a fair bit, threw in a googly or two for good measure and invariably had the batsmen clueless with the straighter one that exploded onto pad or stumps. That delivery deserves its place in the spinner's Hall of Fame alongside Bosie's googly, Warne's flipper and Saqlain's doosra. 8 – Sachin Tendulkar
In imperious touch at Nagpur, where he moved to within a ton of the Don. His adoring audience was mystified by his sluggish batting in the first innings (36 from 119 balls) at Delhi, but he made up for it with a blistering 52-ball 42 that swung the match India's way on the final morning. Loses marks only because he didn't appear to have Ray Price's number.

7 – Sourav Ganguly
Superb hundred kept India in with a shout in Delhi, and got the hecklers off his back. His decision to move up the order to number three appears a masterstroke in retrospect. Other than that, there was nothing inspired or innovative about his captaincy. Loses out for his slothful fielding and some mindless running between wickets.

7 – Shiv Sunder Das
His watchful hundred at Nagpur set India up nicely for a run fest. And with India in sight of victory at Delhi, he kept Price occupied while Tendulkar went after the quick bowlers. Spilled a chance or two at forward short leg, but also pouched a couple of good catches. 7 – Sanjay Bangar
His batting on the fourth morning in Nagpur was one of the revelations of the series. The all rounder tag is a bit rich though considering he bowled only 15 overs. To be fair to Ganguly, he never looked like picking up a five-for. Don't be surprised to see him employed as a specialist opener in the near future. 7 – Virender Sehwag
Played a characteristically stroke-filled innings on being recalled to the side in Delhi and missed out on a hundred only because of a reckless shot. Was the only batsmen apart from Andy Flower and Tendulkar to bat with any real fluency on a lifeless pitch. Dropped a catch, and to make it worse, crocked his shoulder on the fourth afternoon. One-day blitzkriegs might have to wait. 6 – Zaheer Khan
Bowled a couple of tremendous spells in Nagpur. The swinging yorker is back and the pace is also up a few notches. The delivery that got Andy Flower in Nagpur was the best of the series, positively Akram-class. A certainty for the tours of the West Indies and England, and pitches there might be a tad more helpful than the Kotla. 5 – Javagal Srinath
Seldom went flat out. Picked up the crucial wickets of Stuart Carlisle and Dion Ebrahim in Delhi and the bouncer that got Gavin Rennie in Nagpur was a nectarine. On the debit side, he gave the batsmen too much leeway, too many four-balls. 5 – Rahul Dravid
Grafted with customary tenacity for his 65 in Nagpur but failed the test in the final innings chase at the Kotla. Ganguly ran him out in the first innings, putting an end to a quite remarkable run of scores against the Zims. Generally secure at first slip, though there was one clanger. 4 – VVS Laxman
The 13 he made at Nagpur was certainly unlucky for him. Has found life and batting difficult in the enormous shadow of that 281. Even one of those beauteous cameos would be welcome now. Faces a battle to get his middle order slot back, with Sehwag blazing away and Ganguly back in form. 3 – Deep Dasgupta
This time, his batting couldn't camouflage the glaring weaknesses behind the stumps. Got a start in both Nagpur and Delhi but couldn't carry on. Undone by an exceptional bit of keeping from Tatenda Taibu in the second innings. His keeping was an accident waiting to happen, dropped catches and fumbled takes coming along at F1 speed. The last rites can't come along soon enough. He can only hope that he's picked as a specialist opener in future. India series averages

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor Wisden.com, India

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