TimesofIndia.com in London:
Mohammed Siraj delivered when it mattered the most. With England needing six runs and Gus Atkinson standing tall at one end, the 31-year-old fast bowler produced a searing yorker that crashed into his off stump to complete a six-run win and level the series 2-2.
finished with 5 for 104 in the final innings, and 23 wickets in the series—more than anyone else. But more than the numbers, it was the heart and relentlessness that stood out on Day 5 at The Oval.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! “I will rate this Test highly. It was an unbelievable fight. Bahut belief tha dressing room mein jeetne ka (There was a lot of belief in the dressing room that we’ll win),” said Siraj, as the Indian players erupted in joy around him.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Siraj this series. At Lord’s, he was the final wicket to fall in a heartbreaking 22-run loss. In this very Test, on Day 4, he caught Harry Brook near the ropes but accidentally stepped over, gifting six runs. Brook went on to score 111.
“Lord’s, Harry Brook's catch… mere saath hi aisa kyu. Upar waale ne kuch accha socha hoga mere liye (Why does this happen only to me? God must’ve planned something good for me),” Siraj told reporters at the end of day's play.
That “something good” came in the form of a perfect final day spell. With Prasidh Krishna hit for two boundaries in the first over, England looked favourites. But Siraj struck back, removing Jamie Smith, trapping Jamie Overton LBW and finally shattering Atkinson’s stumps.
In the buildup to the final day of the 5th Test, Siraj revealed what charged him up for his heroics. "I woke up at 6 am, took this and put it as my wallpaper," said the pacer, referring to a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo, titled 'BELIEVE!'.
“We had momentum yesterday, soch rahe the kal hi niptaane ko (We were thinking of finishing it yesterday itself),” he said, revealing how India hoped to wrap it up on Sunday itself, before bad light forced a delay.
Siraj also brought his characteristic humour to a tense finish. “It was an emotional moment after taking the final wicket, but DK bhai came and started asking questions in English,” he laughed.
“Losses hurt… breakup ke baad bhi dukh hota hai (It hurts after a breakup too),” he added, summing up the ups and downs of a draining series.
But when it mattered, Siraj delivered with tenacity and fire to close out the series and help India level the matchup 2-2 on Monday.
Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here