A fired-up Mohammed Siraj produced a sensational five-wicket haul on the final day at The Oval, powering India to a stunning six-run win over England in the 5th Test and sealing a 2&ndash;2 draw in the Anderson&ndash;Tendulkar Trophy.
England began Day 5 as firm favourites, needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand. But Siraj had other plans. With relentless pace and belief, he turned the game on its head, delivering four wickets in a dramatic morning session.
&ldquo;I have a wallpaper on my phone that says Belief. I just kept hitting the right areas. I wasn&rsquo;t worried about boundaries. I just focused on wickets,&rdquo; said Siraj after the win.
His spell broke England&rsquo;s backbone &mdash; he dismissed Jamie Smith (caught behind via UltraEdge), then Jamie Overton (lbw, upheld on review). Prasidh Krishna added to the pressure with a deadly yorker to castle Josh Tongue, making it 354/9.
Despite a brave stand from Chris Woakes (with a dislocated shoulder) and Gus Atkinson, Siraj returned to finish the job &mdash; Atkinson edged behind to Dhruv Jurel. India clinched victory by the narrowest of margins.
For Siraj, it was redemption. Just weeks earlier, he dropped Harry Brook on the boundary &mdash; who went on to make 92 in Manchester. &ldquo;That moment hurt. I didn&rsquo;t realise I stepped on the boundary after taking the catch. But I never lost faith,&rdquo; he said.
In a contest full of drama, Siraj&rsquo;s belief and brilliance stood tallest, etching his name in India's modern Test folklore.
&nbsp;

Siraj’s Fire Seals Oval Thriller, Series Ends 2–2

Siraj’s five-for sparks stunning six-run win for India at The Oval, levelling the series

Siraj’s Fire Seals Oval Thriller, Series Ends 2–2

Siraj’s five-for sparks stunning six-run win for India at The Oval, levelling the series

August 4, 2025 | 23:05 IST