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Many of England's strongest players were unavailable at different times during the series. At no stage were they able to field their strongest team. Amongst others, Gough remained on the sidelines with a persistent injury while Caddick played intermittently. Trescothick only recovered from a hand injury to play in the final Test. Thorpe was unavailable after the first Test due to family problems.
Despite all of their problems in fielding a team, England comfortably won the first Test by 170 runs. However, England failed to press home their advantage during a second Test when India successfully batted out the final four sessions for a draw. From there, India's confidence ballooned and they went on to slaughter England by an innings and 46 runs in the third Test.
The final Test saw England end day one at 2 for 336. However, England failed to convert this to a match winning psychological figure above 600, as India had done in the previous Test. A result never looked likely once India passed the follow on target on day four.
Vaughan was the standout player for England with three centuries during the series including innings of 197 and 195 and an average of 94.7 in six innings. If nothing else, Vaughan stamped his name for the foreseeable future as Trescothick's partner at the top of the innings.
As England prepares to tour Australia and face the likes of McGrath, Gillespie and Lee, they should feel confident that they have a solid opening combination and middle order. Their tail also showed signs of being able to wag with Flintoff, Giles and White consistently adding much-needed runs.
From a bowling perspective, in Caddick and Gough's absence, Hoggard started the first three innings of the series with 11 wickets at 20.5 only to end the series with 14 wickets at 38.1.
The bowling department remains England's biggest problem and is likely to remain so in Australia. To have any hope against Australia, England will need both Gough and Caddick to be fit, available and working together.
India, for their part, was able to field their best players consistently through the series. The fact that they were able to come back so strongly from losing the first Test is largely due to Dravid's spectacular series.
After a slow start to the series, Dravid went on to average a Bradmanesque 100.3 in his six innings. Dravid's highlight included three centuries in three consecutive innings over three Tests, including 217 in the final Test.
However, India returns home yet again without a series victory away from their home pitches. India's last won a series on tour in Sri Lanka in 1993.
In any event, the drawn series sees India's rating lift to 1032 points. India remains in sixth position in the ratings, nine ratings points behind fifth placed Sri Lanka.
England retains fourth position, however, their rating has eased back to 1059 points, putting them twenty rating points behind third placed Pakistan.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1216); 2. South Africa (1133); 3. Pakistan (1079); 4. England (1059); 5. Sri Lanka (1041); 6. India (1032); 7. New Zealand (1025); 8. West Indies (1009); 9. Zimbabwe (911); 10. Bangladesh (831).
