Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj delivered a sensational performance on Monday at the Oval, picking up a five-wicket haul to guide India to a dramatic six-run victory over England in the fifth and final Test, levelling the five-match series 2-2.
Resuming on the final day at 339 for 6, England needed just 35 runs to win and clinch the series 3-1. But Siraj had other plans. The Hyderabad pacer turned the game on its head with a burst of three wickets for just nine runs in 25 balls, as England folded for 367, chasing 374.
Siraj finished with figures of 5 for 104 in the second innings and an overall match haul of 9 for 190, earning him the player of the match award. He also emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 23 wickets at an average of 32.43.
“I would rate this highly because from the first day till now, the way we fought, it was an unbelievable fight,” Siraj said at the post-match press conference. “Each and every one in the dressing room had the belief that we would win the match from here.”
The 30-year-old credited his mental preparation before the final day’s play, revealing he drew inspiration from football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I woke up at 6 am and set a picture of Ronaldo that said ‘BELIEVE!’ as my wallpaper. I thought I could do it,” he said. “We had momentum yesterday and were hoping to wrap it up today.”
Fittingly, it was Siraj who claimed the final wicket, dismantling Gus Atkinson’s off-stump to seal the match.
Siraj’s spirited comeback was particularly significant given a pivotal moment earlier in the Test when he stepped on the boundary rope while attempting to catch Harry Brook, conceding a six. Brook went on to score 111.
“Talking about Lord’s and that Harry Brook catch… I felt, ‘why does this happen only to me?’ But maybe God had something better planned for me. I got the last wicket and felt really good today. If that catch had been taken, we might not have come out to play today,” he said, reflecting on his journey.
With the series ending 2-2, the Test rivalry between India and England continues to offer gripping cricket, and Siraj’s name will now be etched among the game-changers in Indian cricket’s overseas triumphs.
