Kolkata: England earned a respite with Saturday's six-wicket Twenty20 win here, but the abiding memory of their Indian tour was an ill-tempered 5-0 whitewash that raised more questions about their one-day ability.

It was symptomatic of a tetchy trip that Kevin Pietersen, who propelled England to victory in the Twenty20 despite batting with a broken left thumb, was reprimanded on Saturday for showing dissent after he was given out lbw to a ball that pitched outside leg stump.

ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama said: "As an experienced cricketer, Kevin should know that, when the umpire raises his finger, a player should leave the crease without showing his emotions — no matter what he thinks of the decision."

Over the top

Throw in Tim Bresnan's fine for snatching his cap off the umpire in Mohali, a perception among Indians that England's sledging has been over the top, and the controversy over comments made in a book by Graeme Swann about Pietersen's captaincy, and the tour has provided an unfortunate final chapter to what has otherwise been a fine year.

With Swann sitting next to him, Pietersen said after Saturday's win that players should not write "books like that one", but the England camp have been at pains to portray any tension as a figment of media imagination.

Of more concern to team director Andy Flower will be his side's struggles in the subcontinent, where they remain as far away as ever from conquering an old Achilles heel.

Painful

Top of the world rankings in Tests and Twenty20, their fifth place in the one-day pecking order is a grievous blip. Their last three one-day trips to India have produced a solitary win against 15 defeats. Particularly painful for Flower was the way England struggled against Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — competent but hardly top-class spinners.

Ten days in Hyderabad were supposed to accustom England to taking on India's slow bowlers. Instead, Ashwin and Jadeja claimed six wickets in the first game, also in Hyderabad, and were central to the astonishing collapse of 10 for 47 in the final ODI in Kolkata.

Flower knows more young English batsmen need to be exposed to Asian conditions to avoid one brow-beating after another.

Success stories were thin on the ground. However, the outstanding Steven Finn made a strong case for inclusion in England's side for the New Year series in the UAE against Pakistan.

But only Jonathan Trott, Pietersen and Samit Patel averaged more than 27 with the bat in the one-dayers, and only Craig Kieswetter scored at quicker than a run a ball.

Basic errors

Kieswetter, who mixed screamers behind the stumps with basic errors, will be one of those fighting for his place, as will Ravi Bopara, who averaged 16 with the bat, and Jade Dernbach, left out of the last two ODIs after taking one wicket in the first three.

England turned their Test fortunes around after the 51 all out in Jamaica in 2009. They must use this thrashing as a similar springboard.

How they fared

  • Steven Finn: Outstanding and unlucky, the Middlesex fast bowler has come of age.
  • Samit Patel: Superb 43-ball 70 in Mohali and outbowled Graeme Swann in spin department.
  • Kevin Pietersen: Played through pain to win T20 game, but 50-over form remains a frustration.
  • Jonathan Trott: Solid as ever but should have kicked on in last 10 overs in Mohali.
  • Alastair Cook: Still learning about captaincy. Batting fell short of his exemplary standards.
  • Ravi Bopara: Undid good work in home one-day series against India.
  • Craig Kieswetter: Debate about England's one-day keeper will continue.
  • Graeme Swann: Two 50-over wickets at 95 each. Made news with his book.

— Daily Mail