NEW DELHI: England head coach Brendon McCullum hailed star pacer Mohammed Siraj's performance in the fifth and final Test at The Oval and described the game as one of the "all-time best Test matches." India clinched the decisive fifth Test by 6 runs - their smallest victory margin - to level the series at 2-2.
“That is the best five-match Test series I have ever been a part of or witnessed,” McCullum told
Sky Sports.
“It just oscillated so much throughout the six weeks, and I felt it had everything. There was hostility at times, camaraderie at times, great cricket at times, and some average cricket as well, because of the pressure both teams were put under.”
“We knew it was going to be hard coming into the series. We knew they were going to test us physically and mentally. I think it tested both teams more than we expected. It was a cracking series to be a part of.”
England arrived on the final day of the five-game series needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand to complete a remarkable chase of 374 but were blown away on a morning of unbearable tension.
Mohammed Siraj took three of the four wickets to fall and finished with figures of 5/104.
“When [Mohammed] Siraj took that final wicket, as much as I was disappointed, I had admiration for him — for the fight he’s got as a cricketer and the way he was able to do what he did.”
“I think 2-2 was a fair reflection. Playing all five days of all five Tests becomes a mental exertion, and I thought the way they dealt with that was impressive. Obviously, we had to call in fresh legs for this last Test match. You know that fatigue is coming, but you don’t know what it’s like until it hits you.”
“It is the hardest thing in cricket — playing a five-match series and being tested as much as you are, for as long as you are. It tests you not just as a sportsperson but as a character because it questions how much you want it. As a fan of the game, I thought it was an unbelievable spectacle.”
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