After a major stutter or two, India finally saw off a gutsy Zimbabwe side in the one-day series. We look at how a largely inexperienced and experimental side performed when the going got unexpectedly tough.

9 Yuvraj Singh Lit up the latter part of the series with some gorgeous strokeplay. He can hit the ball a long way, but does so with grace and sweetness of timing. A joy to watch once he got going. Two match-changing innings, with his excellence in the field a bonus. Surely, the selectors have to give him an extended run now.

9 Harbhajan Singh A constant menace. He was never tamed, or even fathomed by the Zimbabwe batsmen. The wickets he picked up gave him the confidence to experiment and he also made some crucial runs with his refreshingly uncomplicated approach to the art of batting.

8.5 Dinesh Mongia Fluent cameos in three of the first four matches, but he saved the best for last. The unbeaten 159 at Guwahati was wonderfully paced and classy. Will be tested more on pitches that offer lateral movement but barring a drastic slump in form, looks a certainty for the World Cup squad.

8 Ajit Agarkar Went for the long-handle approach with stunning results at Faridabad (30 from 19 balls) and bowled some magnificent spells with the new ball. Clearly a fan of the one-bouncer-per-over rule. Was profligate in a couple of matches but he can be forgiven that for his uncanny ability to pick up wickets each time he comes on to bowl. He finally looks the part.

7.5 Zaheer Khan Had one indifferent outing but apart from that, he was the perfect foil for Agarkar. Bowled at a good pace and had that yorker working beautifully. Javagal Srinath wasn't even missed.

7 Mohammad Kaif Somebody teach this kid how to call. His running between the wickets was superb, except when he forgot about the guy at the other end. Easily the most athletic player in the team, he could be to India what Jonty Rhodes is to South Africa as he bats in a similar manner, gathering runs with minimal fuss. Yuvraj stole his thunder at Hyderabad, but without Kaif's rock-solid 68, India would have been well out of it by the time Yuvraj came to the crease. Definitely one for the future.

6.5 Sourav Ganguly Super knock at Mohali and a good one at Faridabad, albeit in a losing cause. Bowled an excellent spell at Hyderabad and captained the side with more flair and imagination than we have seen from him in recent times. Deserves a pat on the back for his unequivocal backing of young talent.

6.5 Rahul Dravid Was his steady self for the most part, with the 66 at Mohali being a glorious, stroke-filled exception. Didn't put a really big score on the board, though, and was pushed into the shade by Yuvraj, Mongia and even Kaif. A few more innings like the one at Mohali would be nice, if only to silence those that doubt his ability.

6 Ajay Ratra Neat and efficient for the most part behind the stumps. Took a couple of superb catches. While he didn't get much of an opportunity to showcase his batting ability, he would do well to keep his mouth shut at times and tone down the appealing. The last thing India needs is an excellent wicketkeeper who shrieks periodically like a fisherwoman.

5 VVS Laxman Made runs in the first two games without looking anywhere near his effervescent best. Failures in the last three matches would have done his confidence no good at all, what with a clutch of talented youngsters breathing down his neck. Failure in the West Indies is not even an option.

4.5 Sanjay Bangar Based on what we saw, India still haven't found what they're looking for. Even bits-and-pieces allrounders have to deliver sometime and Bangar didn't in this series. The selectors would be better off giving Reetinder Singh Sodhi a chance because Bangar clearly doesn't have the firepower to destroy an attack at the death.

3 Sarandeep Singh Just the one outing in Kochi and the sooner he forgets that, the better. Unfair to judge him on the basis of one spell, but he needs to make the most of the limited chances he gets with Harbhajan an established fixture in the team.

3 Murali Kartik One appearance and he was taken for plenty there. The elegant loop and the variations are more suited to the Test arena than the hurly-burly of the one-day scene.

3 Vijay Bharadwaj Had a walk-on part at the end of the series and did little to suggest that he deserves better. Was a selectorial gamble that raised a few eyebrows and little else.

3 Anil Kumble Forgettable performances in the two matches he played. The additional rest would have done him good with stern tests lurking around the corner.

Player of the Series: Dinesh Mongia got the official accolade but our vote goes to Yuvraj. Some comeback from one who was anointed as the next best thing before he lost his way. Each time he walked out to bat, there was a buzz in the stands, the kind one associates with Sachin Tendulkar. The domestic treadmill seems to have toughened him up for the bigger challenges.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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