Siraj leads Ind to stunning win over Eng

Express Tribune

a day ago

Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill pose with the Rothesay and Anderson-Tendulkar trophies. Photo: AFP
Mohammed Siraj was inspired as India took the last four wickets in under an hour to bowl England out for 367 and win an astonishing fifth Test by six runs to draw the series 2-2 on Monday.
England had resumed on 339-6 in an atmosphere of unremitting tension at The Oval and a fired-up Siraj dismissed Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton before bowling Gus Atkinson to complete his five-wicket-haul.
After Prasidh Krishna had bowled Josh Tongue for nought, Chris Woakes walked out to bat wearing a sling to protect his dislocated shoulder with 17 runs still needed.
Atkinson hit Siraj for six to give England brief hope and cleverly protected Woakes from the strike, but player-of-the-match Siraj produced another brilliant yorker to earn India their narrowest-ever Test win.
"With 60, 70-odd runs to win with seven wickets in hand you don't get to see many games like this," India captain Shubman Gill said.
"Very happy to get this over the line, a little bit of luck for us."
England, 301-3 at one stage, lost their last seven wickets for 66 runs, a collapse prompted by Harry Brook's reckless dismissal after he had made a superb century.
India suddenly had a chink of hope and they took full advantage, removing Jacob Bethell and Joe Root (105) before bad light and rain ended the fourth day early.
Packed Oval
England still needed 35 runs to complete their second-highest Test run chase and by far the largest for any team on this ground.
The Oval was full for the final act of a series that fluctuated wildly over seven weeks, and under grey skies one of the most dramatic Test endings duly played out.
"It has been one of the all-time best Test matches," England coach Brendon McCullum said.
"We turned up today with high hopes, but Mohammed Siraj and the passion of the Indian boys was too strong and ultimately they deserve to win this Test match," he added.
"We had our chances, we will look back on our dropped catches and the position we were in with the bat."
It was fitting that Siraj was India's hero because he had stepped over the boundary cushion after dropping Brook on 19 on Sunday, an error that looked likely to cost his team the match.
Woakes was the not out batsman having not faced a ball but running bravely in obvious pain.
"I didn't expect him to come out like that, batting with one hand. Kudos to him," Gill said after his team did a lap of honour.
Stokes remains upbeat
Stokes, who did not play in the match due to injury, watched on as the hosts collapsed from 301-3 to 367 all out to give India a share of the series.
"Credit both teams. The amount of effort from both teams to end up here 2-2 is incredible," he told reporters.
"The heart and passion and everything that was shown, especially in our second bowling innings, I thought was outstanding."
Stokes, who scored a century and completed a five-wicket haul in the drawn fourth Test against India, said England had been well on top at various times in the final game under the captaincy of Ollie Pope.
"We got ourselves into some good positions throughout the Test match, not just the last innings," he said.
"To come within seven runs of victory, it's tough to look back and feel anything but disappointment."
Stokes felt the loss of Chris Woakes to a shoulder injury on the first day had been a crucial factor.
The all-rounder did come out to bat with a sling on to try to get England over the line but his absence along with that of Stokes and Jofra Archer left England with an inexperienced pace attack.