London, August 4 (UNI) In a finish befitting the glorious uncertainties of Test cricket, India edged out England by just six runs in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, squaring the series 2-2 in one of the most nerve-wracking finales in recent memory.
England, set a target of 374, fell agonizingly short at 367 despite a valiant lower-order resistance. Mohammed Siraj bowled his heart out to take five wickets, including the match-clinching delivery that knocked over Josh Atkinson’s off-stump, a perfect yorker that sealed an unforgettable Indian win. Prasidh Krishna’s timely breakthroughs added fire to India’s comeback.
Twenty-five days of riveting action culminated in this epic showdown. As commentator Harsha Bhogle put it, “Test cricket – can anything be better?” Every ball on Day 5 was a mini-saga, every wicket a story. The tension began at sunrise and peaked late afternoon as India wrested victory from the jaws of despair.
India began the day needing four wickets, and England just 35 runs. Two early boundaries gave England hope, but Siraj soon dismissed Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton in a span of 10 deliveries.
England’s final pair, Atkinson and Chris Woakes, tried bravely to scrape the last few runs. Woakes, batting one-handed due to a shoulder injury, won hearts with his courage, a bat in one hand, the other arm wrapped in a sweater. But the fairy tale was denied as Siraj bowled Atkinson for 17 to clinch the win.
An emotional Siraj, reflecting post-match, said: “I was just thinking that I should bowl in the right areas. To be honest, I didn’t think I would take the Hary Brook catch and step on the rope. That was a match-changing moment. But I always believed I would do it for the team.”
The game had many heroes and plenty of analysis followed. Dinesh Karthik hailed Siraj’s “relentlessness” as an “education for other pacers.” Murali Kartik noted before the day began, “India hold the edge to make it 2-2,” and he was proven right. Kartik also saluted India’s “spirited comeback” that set up this finale, while Harsha Bhogle described Joe Root as the “run tree” that England kept harvesting from.
Root (105) and Brook (111) had earlier steadied the chase, but Siraj’s dropped catch of Brook—when he stepped on the boundary—nearly proved costly. In the end, the bowlers redeemed themselves with extraordinary precision and composure under pressure.
As the final wicket fell, the Indian players charged toward Siraj in jubilation. Dhruv Jurel was the first to embrace the bowler, followed by the rest of the squad. Shubman Gill, who captained with calm and conviction, led the team’s victory lap around The Oval, with fans cheering and waving tricolours in the stands.
India’s fast bowlers—Siraj, Prasidh, and Akash Deep—walked off arm in arm, having pulled off one of India’s greatest away wins. Siraj held the ball aloft, soaking in the applause.
Brief Scores:
India: 224 & 396
England: 247 & 367
India won by 6 runs
Series: 5-match series level at 2-2
