Siraj's Five-For Seals Epic Victory as India Level Series 2-2 at The Oval

Mohammed Siraj produced a stunning spell of swing bowling on a tense and overcast fifth morning at The Oval to help India snatch a dramatic six-run victory over England, levelling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at 2-2 in what will go down as one of the great modern Test match finishes.

Needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand to win the final Test and clinch the series 3-1, England looked well placed, despite having Chris Woakes padded up with a dislocated shoulder. But Siraj, bowling with relentless accuracy and movement under drizzle and cloud, claimed three of the final four wickets to finish with 5 for 104, turning the tide for India in breathtaking fashion.

A Morning of Tension and Turnarounds

Resuming at five wickets down, England began with early boundaries from Jamie Overton, but the momentum swung when Siraj removed Jamie Smith for 2, caught behind after repeated plays and misses. The very next delivery nearly brought another wicket as Gus Atkinson edged just short of KL Rahul at second slip.

Overton was next to fall, trapped lbw by a Siraj nip-backer, a dismissal confirmed on review. Soon after, Josh Tongue survived an lbw decision thanks to DRS, but was bowled comprehensively by Prasidh Krishna with a searing yorker. That brought Woakes to the crease, with his right arm in a sling and holding the bat in his left.

Atkinson farmed the strike, even launching Akash Deep for six after a mistimed shot was palmed over the boundary. But it was Siraj who had the final word, firing in another yorker that rattled Atkinson’s stumps, sealing a heart-stopping Indian victory in front of a near full house at The Oval.

Heroics Overshadow Root-Brook Partnership

The victory came despite centuries from Joe Root (105) and Harry Brook (111) on Day 4, whose 195-run stand had put England in control. But the second half of the match was defined by India’s resilience, led by Siraj and Prasidh, who took four wickets apiece in the second innings.

A Memorable Test and Series

The win ensured a 2-2 draw in the five-Test series, a fitting result for a contest that swung back and forth over two months of high-quality cricket. India, often criticised for faltering in overseas deciders, held their nerve to pull off one of their most gritty and dramatic Test wins abroad in recent memory.

Match Summary:
India 224 (Karun Nair 57; Atkinson 5-33, Tongue 3-57) & 396 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 118, Akash Deep 66, Sundar 53, Jadeja 53; Tongue 5-125, Atkinson 3-127)
England 247 (Crawley 64, Brook 53; Prasidh 4-62, Siraj 4-86) & 367 (Brook 111, Root 105; Siraj 5-104, Prasidh 4-126)
Result: India won by 6 runs
Series: Five-match series drawn 2-2