Mohammed Siraj bowled India to a dramatic 6-run win over England by a brilliant 5-wicket haul in reversing what had looked an ominous English victory charge when Jamie Overton cracked the first two balls from Pradish Krishna to the boundary as Siraj emerged to the fore from the other end on day five at London’s Kennington Oval on Monday.
He settled it in yanking out an intent Jamie Smith tempted to going for the drive searching the boundary only to nicking one to Dhruv Jurel followed by winning a LBW appeal upheld by umpire Kumar Dharmasena with Overton’s review going against him as the Indians exulted. Soon after Krishna struck clean bowling Josh Tongue with England a step away from certain defeat needing 17 to win and the injured Chris Woakes strode one arm impeded by a sling as Atherton went for it – clearing deep midwicket thrice. The injured Woakes lurched his way for a leg bye in the process wincing in pain and made to respond to Atkinson’s call for two before nudging for a single putting England within one blow of tying the scores.
However, it was India’s and Siraj’s moment as he sent one final ball that knocked Atkinson’s off stump swishing and missing as all India jubilated a magnificent series squaring triumph from what had at one stage been turned into the jaws of defeat when Joe Root and Harry Brook had put England on course to victory with two compelling centuries as England looked well on their way to achieving the 374 chase on a high of 311 for 4.
Mohammed Siraj, omitted for the Ashes series, had reemerged India’s saviour and earning the Player of the Match award with figures of 4 for 85 and 5 for 104, with it having the final laugh at the selectors who looked down on him for the lost Aussie series.
Indian Captain Shubman Gill set himself a man apart in leading from the front to the coveted Player of the Series award by his 754 runs in announcing his arrival as the new Prince of Indian cricket as an exemplary leader walking the walk with his bat in no uncertain terms.
India 224 (Nair 57, Atkinson 5-33) and 396 (Jaiswal 118, Tongue 5-125) beat England 247 (Crawley 64, Brook 53, Prasidh 4-62, Siraj 4-84) and 367 (Brook 111, Root 105, Duckett 54, Prasidh 4-126, Siraj 5-104) by six runs