Andrew Miller's end-of-term report on West Indies' players India series averages
West Indies series averages

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Say what you like about the current West Indies side (and most people have, at length), on home turf they remain a force to be reckoned with. Only Australia in 1994-95, and South Africa last season have managed a series victory in the Caribbean in the last 30 years. Nevertheless, West Indies entered the series on the back of consecutive whitewashes against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. And, it was well known, their batting relied entirely on Brian Lara ...

9 Shiv Chanderpaul Impeccable. The man of the series and the difference between the sides. Chanderpaul made a mockery of his career figures, scoring more centuries in six weeks than he had previously managed in eight years of Test cricket. His 293-run partnership with Carl Hooper at Guyana set the tone for the series, but it was his shepherding of a notoriously flimsy tail that caught the eye. Combining the patience of Jimmy Adams with the nurdling skills of Michael Bevan, Chanderpaul learned from the Trinidad defeat, and slammed the door shut each time India threatened a breakthrough.

8.5 Carl Hooper The series his legions of fans had always hoped for, but never quite believed would happen. Where Chanderpaul was impish, Cool Carl was imperious – time and again he seized the initiative in a manner that Brian Lara would have approved of. But his captaincy, by contrast, remained suspiciously retroactive, and – given his form – he loses half a mark for failing to guide West Indies home on that tense final morning in Trinidad.

8 Ridley Jacobs His axing for the first two Tests shook him out of his torpor, and for the final – crucial – three matches, Ridley was back to his abrasive best. His five catches in Barbados made amends for a fourth-ball duck, and his century at St John's put paid to hopes of an Indian revival. But it was his counterattacking 59 at Sabina Park, after West Indies had lost four wickets for 46, that effectively sealed the series.

7 Merv Dillon After the posturing, the pay-out. With 23 wickets at 27.22, Mervyn Dillon at last provided the consistency to match his undoubted ability. His first-ball dismissal of SS Das at Bridgetown was the turning-point of the series, and maybe even his career. Nevertheless, his hideous hoick in the final innings at Kingston was the shot of a man who still harbours delusions of grandeur.

7 Wavell Hinds Took his opportunity when it came along, but left everyone wanting more. Tall and imposing at the crease, Hinds has the presence to take on the world's best bowlers, but as yet he lacks the discipline. His second Test century at Sabina Park was a case in point. India's bowlers were at his mercy until he played a reckless inside-out lofted drive to Harbhajan's first ball from over the wicket, and an out-of-form Brian Lara was exposed for the final hour of the day.

7 Cameron Cuffy West Indian fast bowlers are not renowned for their parsimony, except when the ball is too quick to lay a bat on. But Cameron Cuffy's spell of 18-15-3-0 in the second innings at Bridgetown typified his wholehearted approach. Colin Croft may scoff, but line-and-length has won matches in the Caribbean before – Glenn McGrath and Angus Fraser, take a bow. Cuffy was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series, and by far the most economical.

6.5 Pedro Collins Dismissed Sachin Tendulkar twice in three balls in Barbados and Antigua, and again – vitally – in the final innings at Sabina Park, an achievement in itself. Yet, Collins recognised his limitations, and stuck within them admirably, to the detriment of his end-of-series figures. This was never more in evidence than in his batting, and his 48-run partnership with Chanderpaul at Kingston was an example to tailenders on both sides.

6.5 Ramnaresh Sarwan Multiply his rating by ten and you get his top score for the series – a travesty for a batsman who looked so composed at all times. Accidents singled him out, and he was unfortunate with a decision or two, but it is time he converted those fifties (13 of them now) into hundreds. An unexpected bonus is the emergence of his little-used legspin, which pinched two important wickets at Bridgetown, and topped the series averages.

6 Chris Gayle Looks the part, but lacks the proof. Gayle is worth persevering with, especially in partnership with Wavell Hinds, but his series average of 29.43 was a disappointment. His best innings – 68 at Sabina Park – was hampered by cramp, but he is fortunate that the efforts of Sarwan, Hooper and Chanderpaul papered over the cracks he left at the very top of the order.

5.5 Adam Sanford The jury is still out. Fifteen wickets in your debut series is no mean feat, but Sanford is not quite the man-eater his Carib heritage would suggest. He lacks a consistent top speed, and his awkward action can collapse under pressure. Nevertheless, he has an undoubted wicket-taking ability, and each of India's top six fell to him at some stage of the series.

5 Brian Lara Never match fit and it showed. It was expecting a lot of Lara to pick up where he had left off prior to his elbow injury in Sri Lanka, but if any attack was asking for the full treatment, it was India's. Yet, from West Indies' point of view, it was encouraging to discover that they are not a one-man batting line-up after all. From the neutrals' point of view, the anticipated Lara v Tendulkar duel was a desperate disappointment.

5 Mahendra Nagamootoo His series was ended prematurely by a car crash, though it is unlikely that he would have had much say in the outcome. Tight, but unthreatening, on a flat track in Guyana, he did at least claim the scalp of Sachin Tendulkar.

4 Marlon Black Unthreatening on his lone appearance at Trinidad, and changes had to be made after India had secured only their third victory in the Caribbean in 49 years. Two of his three wickets were tailenders, and he was invisible in the second innings.

4 Stuart Williams In a real flap throughout, Williams was once again found out at the highest level. He scored more boundaries than singles, and never looked likely to settle in for the long haul.

3 Junior Murray One run in three innings, and criminally run out during the final stages of the second Test at Trinidad. Murray was a selector's hunch that went wrong. Fortunately for West Indies, Ridley Jacobs returned in time to rectify matters.

Andrew Miller is editorial assistant of Wisden.com.

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