Super Stokes saved us from 2-0 defeat
ALASTAIR COOK 5 You know it’s a difficult tour as a batsman in Asia if Cook is not scoring big runs and he will be disappointed to get only one 50. He’s been brought up as a captain on containment and building pressure and his spinners did not give him that. Needs to back those spinners or look in another direction.
BEN DUCKETT 6 The last-day 50 was very important for him. to show that mental toughness after not scoring for three innings and dropping a dolly was very impressive. the only one who made Mehedi Hasan lose the plot a little. only question now is whether he should open or bat at four.
JOE ROOT 6 He would have wanted to convert one of his starts into a bigger score but remains a key figure against India. there will be comparisons made between him and Virat Kohli if he starts well and it is vital to england’s chances for him and Cook to fire. did ok but can do much better.
GARY BALLANCE 2 I understand why he was given every chance to do well because he is a tough character with a good record when he started. But he did not know whether to stick or twist on those pitches. If you don’t have that attacking option against the spinners you have to have a watertight technique to thrive and I’m not sure he has.
MOEEN ALI 7 HAs had a decent tour. He was the pick of the spinners because he got his pace right and did well against the left handers. But India may go with a complete team of right handers so it’s going to be tough. Batted well at times and he’s an option at No 4 if he can become more consistent.
BEN STOKES 8.5 the way he turned the first test on its head with bat and ball was magnificent. If it wasn’t for stokes Bangladesh could well have won the series 2-0 and that really would have been a story. Quieter in the second test but will have times when we all realise how special he is. No problem with his feistiness either.
JONNY BAIRSTOW 7 HIs glovework, especially in the first test, was excellent and he is improving as a keeper. even if Jos Buttler comes in he will keep the gloves. Very useful runs but there were times when his old nemesis of that strong bottom hand took over to get him into trouble. But a vibrant, vital cricketer and another option at four.
CHRIS WOAKES 6 such a good all-rounder now. to have him coming in at eight or even nine gives england such depth. the runs he got in the first innings in dhaka stopped the test being done and dusted even earlier! Not much in the pitches for him but he got useful wickets and can reverse it. Cannot be left out now.
ADIL RASHID 4 Yes he got some wickets and yes he got some useful lower-order runs but he doesn’t get key players out and he continues to bowl too many bad balls. I think he has to play against India because he can turn it away from the right handers but he needs to improve.
ZAFAR ANSARI 5 He did all right on his debut and would have got more wickets in the second innings if catches had been taken. looked a bit nervous at first when tamim Iqbal went after him and not sure how repetitive his action is. Not a classical slow left-armer but another option against India.
STEVEN FINN 4 pitch did not suit him and not a big reverse swinger of the ball. He needs to be more consistent and have a bit of stuart Broad about him — that ability to make things happen. In lowscoring games he is still bowling one bad ball an over, so he’s hard to rely on.
STUART BROAD 6.5 the opposite of Finn. He finds a way to take wickets, is always at you and gives the captain control and experience that was lacking in dhaka. when the ball was reversing in Chittagong he was a big threat. there will be more in it for the seamers in India so will be a bigger threat.
GARETH BATTY 6 He Bowled ok and got better as the first test progressed but I did find it ironic that he waited 11 years between tests and was then rested so england could find out about Ansari. He will be back in contention now. But he did not automatically locate that length that the teenager Mehedi Hasan did so well.
BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal 8, Imrul Kayes 7, Mominul Haque 5.5, Mahmudullah 5, Shakib Al Hasan 7, Mushfiqur Rahim 7, Sabbir Rahman 6, Shuvagata Hom 3, Taijul Islam 6, Mehedi Hasan 9.5, Kamrul Islam Rabbi 2, Shafiul Islam 2.