A stunning end to the Oval thriller

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

In a nail-biting, riveting hour of cricket at England's oldest test match ground, in characteristically cloudy Olde Blighty weather, India pulled off a historic heist. India's Mohammed Siraj celebrates with teammates after taking Gus Atkinson's wicket at the Oval to win the 5th Test against England and draw the series 2-2. (Reuters)
They pulled the chestnuts out of the fire in a dramatic, pulsating fifth day of a face-off whose intensity has only risen through the summer, to win the 5th and concluding encounter of the series by a sliver of six runs. Thus, they deservingly drew the sequence of games 2-2. It's a result that will stand the Indians in good stead in their campaign to qualify for the 2027 World Test Championship final.
Fittingly, the indefatigable Hyderabadi Mohammed Siraj was declared Player of the Match. In the absence of India's more celebrated quicks, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, he bowled his heart out to claim a famous triumph for his country. His nine wickets for 190 runs in the game bear testimony to his accomplishment. Not always economical, he, sometimes raced through eight overs on the trot, never flagging; shiningly exemplifying the Scottish King Robert Bruce's counsel that 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'.
About a quarter of an hour before tea on the fourth and penultimate day, India looked dead and buried. England were 301 for three; only 73 runs from the finishing line. Joe Root, who has been quite immovable in the series, and the attacking Harry Brook, both Yorkshiremen, had commandingly realised 195 runs for the fourth wicket. Brook was on 19 when he hooked Prasidh Krishna uppishly to long leg, where Siraj stepped beyond the boundary after completing the catch. Far from a scalp it was a six! The young gun then blasted his way to 111 off 98 balls, unleashing two sixes and 14 fours; it was his 10th ton in no more than 30 tests.
Then Brook went and it was 301 for four but Root was still encamped at the crease. He had been the common component in England chasing down 377 at Edgbaston, Birmingham in 2022 and 370 at Headingley, Leeds earlier this summer. Predictably, he completed his hundred after tea. Soon after, though, wanting to cut against the extra pace of Krishna, he edged to the wicket-keeper.
The light became indifferent after the interval, the floodlights took effect, a shower followed. It was curtains for the day with England between a cup and a lip at 339 for six. Batsman-keeper Jamie Smith, playing at his county Surrey's home venue, who produced an audacious unbeaten 184 in the 2nd test at Edgbaston, stood vigil in the company of Jamie Overton, a bowling all-rounder.
The final morning dawned cloudy. By regulation, the roller was applied on the pitch, which theoretically favoured England. Indeed, the first two balls from Krishna's over, interrupted by rain the day before, disappeared for fours. Overton pulled the first, but the second came off a fortuitous inside edge.
In the following over, Siraj tempted Smith with three enticing outswingers. The batsman chased all, feathering the third to perish behind the stumps. Enter Gus Atkinson, England's most successful bowler this match with eight wickets. He nicked the first ball he received perilously close to second slip.
In his next over Siraj slanted one in to trap Overton leg before wicket. India wisely desisted from taking the new ball. There was no need as the old cherry was wobbling enough.
Now it was Krishna's turn. He unleashed one at 142k to shatter Josh Tongue's stumps. England had collapsed to 357 for nine as Chris Woakes, out-of-commission since the evening of the first day with a dislocated left shoulder, walked in, arm slung inside his sweater, as England fans cheered lustily. At the start of proceedings, they had customarily sung their patriotic hymn Jerusalem. To which Indian supporters replied, 'Jitega To Jitega, India Jitega'.
Siraj charged in from the end of the imposing red brick pavilion to perform the last rites. Atkinson, deciding he should not torment Woakes into facing the Indian fury one-handed, slog-swept Siraj to long on, where Akash Deep not only dropped the catch but palmed it football goalkeeper fashion into the fence.
But Siraj persevered. In the 86th over of England's innings, with the home side tantalisingly just seven runs adrift of their destination, he galloped in, Atkinson played across an in-swinging full toss, missed; the off-stump was disfigured. The reserve players and the backroom staff swarmed onto the pitch zigzagging past security personnel. Their votaries in the stands went berserk. Shubman Gill and his teammates undertook a victory walk around the perimeter to acknowledge the appreciation. It was as memorable a moment as India's maiden victory in England on the same hallowed turf in 1971.
The advantage derived by India from England being reduced to three bowlers after Woakes' incapacitation was negated by Gill not having confidence in his spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Brook, comparatively less successful in his career against slow bowling, was, therefore, hardly tested with trundlers.
The green-top for the match was ripe for assistance to seamers for the first two days, thereby suiting England's initial line-up of four pace bowlers. India responded to the grassy track by reposing faith in an additional batsman in Karun Nair in their XI. It paid off.
Dropped catches lose matches. England spilled more than India did – six in the Indian second innings alone. This and India's ability to withstand pressure crucially decided the contest.