Age: 19
ODI Series in Australia
Matches: 9
Average: 20.35
Best: 4/38
The teen sensation became a symbol of the new Indian zip. Adding 10 kmph to his average bowling speed on the tour, he cut the batsmen into half with his sharp inswing and bothered them with the yorker or the one that straightened. After Tendulkar, he was the man most recognised on the streets and airports. "I was in good rhythm, and that helps you bowl faster," he told Outlook. "Everyone in the team backed me, and that gave me confidence. These are the wickets that suit my kind of bowling, and I can get bounce from good length."
Rohit Sharma
Age: 21
ODI Series in Australia
Matches: 10
Runs: 235
Average: 33.57
Best 70 n.o
The classy right-hander showed why he’s rated so high, with two vital knocks in India’s three victories over Australia. He stayed unruffled in crisis, drove the ball beautifully both sides of the wicket and straight—and earned praise from Tendulkar himself. "I don’t think much about my batting, I try to keep it simple and play my natural game," Sharma told Outlook. "I think I have made a good start, and that has raised expectations. But I see that as a challenge, and I need to be more consistent with my batting."
Gautam Gambhir
Age: 26
ODI Series in Australia
Matches: 10
Runs: 440
Average: 55
Best: 113
The diminutive Delhi star surprised everyone with the power he hits the leather. But he himself was not too surprised at finishing on top of the batting charts. "The kind of form I was in when I took the plane to Australia, I thought I’d be able to contribute in a big way," he said. "But I didn’t expect to end up as the highest scorer in the tournament. Personally, it’s been the best series I’ve played in. And as a team, beating Australia in Australia is a huge achievement," adds Gambhir, whose audacious strokeplay inspired Yuvraj Singh to attack Muralitharan.
Praveen Kumar
Age: 21
ODI Series in Australia
Matches: 4
Wickets: 10
Average: 17.5
Best: 4/31
The reticent man from the dingy bylanes of Meerut made the ball talk, moving it both ways to devastating effect. Given the new ball in the finals, he didn’t lose his nerve or strive for pace, as most non-regular opening bowlers do in their enthusiasm. Bowling to his strengths, he soon dismissed Gilchrist and Ponting—and the crippled Aussies never recovered after that. "I worked on swing and line and length and found success," Praveen says. "This is a good beginning but it’s only the start, and I need to work hard, on my batting as well." If he manages to add a few yards to his average bowling speed of around 130 kmph, he could well become lethal.
Piyush Chawla
Age: 19
ODI Series in Australia
Matches: 2
Economy rate: 4.10
M.S. Dhoni used the legspinner as a surprise element in the finals, and he made Australia struggle, especially at Sydney. There, handed the ball when two left-handers were at the crease, Chawla bowled a neat spell to help restrict Australia to 239. "I’m glad I was able to take the opportunity when it came," he says. Though he did not pick up a wicket in the two games he played, he remains the leggie to watch out for, with Anil Kumble in the evening of his career. "He has great calibre and mental strength," Lalchand Rajput, India’s assistant coach, told Outlook. "And that’s why we were able to gamble on him."
