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Yuvraj Singh [Images] was the most valuable player (MVP) in the recently-concluded Sri Lanka [Images] - India ODI series, but Virender Sehwag [Images] continues to be India's most valuable ODI player so far in the 2008-09 season.

The MVP index (MVPI) is calculated based on the assumption that, in ODI cricket, batsmen offer the best value if they  score a lot of runs with good strike rates; bowlers if they take a lot of wickets at good (low) economy rates and fielders if they take the most catches or make the most run outs. The MVPI collapses the player's all-round performance into a single 'run equivalent'.

Kumar Sangakkara (MVPI = 318) is the only Sri Lankan to figure in the top five, in a series that saw dominating performances from Yuvraj, Dhoni [Images], Sehwag and Gambhir.

It is especially interesting to note that Ishant Sharma [Images] took the most wickets (10) in the ODI series; one tends to think of Ishant more as a top Test match bowler.

Sachin Tendulkar [Images], who was India's most valuable ODI player last season, is at the bottom of the list after being a victim of three poor umpiring decisions. It's unlikely that something like this will ever happen again.

Table 1: The most valuable players in the Sri Lanka - India ODI series

Runs (scored) | Balls (faced) | Strike rate | Bat-pts: Batting points |  Bb: Balls bowled | Rc: Runs conceded | W: Wickets taken | Eco: Economy rate | Bowl-pts: Bowling points | Ct/St: Catches taken / Stumpings | Run outs (participated) | Field-pts: fielding points | M: Matches played | Total (points)  = sum of batting, bowling and fielding points | *Run outs are counted as 1 (wicket) for a direct hit, and 0.5 (wicket) if the fielder is an equal participant in a run out dismissal.

Table 2 shows India's most valuable ODI players this season. Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, who have bowled extremely well together, figure below Gambhir and Raina only because they have played far fewer matches.

Sehwag and Yuvraj are always likely to figure close to the top because they bat explosively and also pick up a decent number of wickets with their slow spinners.

Table 2: India's most valuable players in the 2008-09 ODI season (24 matches so far)

Runs (scored) | Balls (faced) | Strike rate | Bat-pts: Batting points |  Bb: Balls bowled | Rc: Runs conceded | W: Wickets taken | Eco: Economy rate | Bowl-pts: Bowling points | Ct/St: Catches taken / Stumpings | Run outs (participated) | Field-pts: fielding points | M: Matches played | Total (points)  = sum of batting, bowling and fielding points | *Run outs are counted as 1 (wicket) for a direct hit, and 0.5 (wicket) if the fielder is an equal participant in a run out dismissal.