A B757-200 IS GIVEN A PREMATURE DSCNT WHEN THE CTLR AT ZID GETS CONFUSED AS TO ACFT IDENT POS AND STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN TFC SEPARATION 20 MI S OF VHP; IN.

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ON THE TARNE ARR INTO CVG; WE WERE DSNDING TO FL230. FLT LAS TO CVG. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE FREQS. CHANGED TO ZID. ON INITIAL CONTACT; WE CHKED IN 'FLT ADFO FL230.' RESPONSE FROM ZID WAS 'ROGER; FL200 DIRECT TO SHB.' WE INTERPED THIS AS A CLRNC; BOTH ALT AND RTE. HOWEVER; TO BE SURE; WE READ BACK 'ROGER; DSND (EMPHASIS) TO FL200; DIRECT SHB.' WE THEN DSNDED TO FL200 AND CHANGED OUR RTE TO GO DIRECTLY TO SHB. DURING THE DSCNT; THE CTLR QUIZZED US ON OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED 'DSNDING TO FL200 ASSIGNED.' WE DID NOTICE AN ACFT ON OUR TCASII ABOUT 9-10 MI AWAY. THE CTLR RESPONDED TO EXPEDITE TO FL200. HE SEEMED FLUSTERED. HE THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO VHP WHICH WE RESPONDED THAT WE HAD BEEN ALREADY CLRED TO SHB (VHP WAS BEHIND US). HE RESPONDED 'ROGER.' THE NEXT CTLR STATED THERE SEEMED TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND (FAA QUALITY ASSURANCE). ONCE WE LANDED; THE CAPT CALLED AND GOT A RECORDING. WE HEADED TO OUR PERSONAL RESIDENCES. THE CAPT CALLED THE COMPANY; WHO THEN CONTACTED ZID. THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROB AND IT WAS 'CTLR ERROR.' NEXT TIME; WE WILL BE SURE TO GET THE CTLR TO STATE HIS CLRNC CORRECTLY; OR AT LEAST CLARIFY WHAT HE WANTS.