India edged past England by six runs in a thrilling final-day finish at The Oval, with Mohammed Siraj’s five-wicket haul levelling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 in one of India’s finest overseas Test victories.
London, Aug 4: India clinched a memorable win at Oval. Mohammed Siraj delivered a scintillating five-wicket performance as India pulled off a dramatic six-run win over England on the final morning of the fifth Test at The Oval, leveling the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 in a heart-stopping finish.
Resuming on Day 5 needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand, England appeared favourites to seal the series. But India’s pace attack, led by a fiery Siraj, launched a stunning assault to dismantle England’s lower order and snatch a memorable overseas victory.
Siraj struck early, removing Jamie Smith with a delivery that drew an edge, confirmed by UltraEdge as a clear nick to keeper Dhruv Jurel. He followed up moments later by trapping Jamie Overton in front with a sharp nip-backer — a decision that stood firm even after a review.
Prasidh Krishna then delivered the decisive blow with a 141 km/h yorker that uprooted Josh Tongue’s middle stump, sparking jubilation in the Indian camp. England, cruising at 347/6, had suddenly slumped to 354/9. With just one wicket remaining and 20 runs still required, a visibly injured Chris Woakes hobbled to the crease, nursing a dislocated shoulder.
However, the final twist came soon after. Siraj, relentless and precise, found the edge of Gus Atkinson’s bat, with Jurel completing a sharp catch behind the stumps. Atkinson had battled valiantly for 17, but India’s persistence prevailed.
This hard-fought victory marked a spirited comeback for a youthful Indian side captained by Shubman Gill, stepping in for the absent Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite early setbacks in the series, India’s emerging talents, backed by a potent fast-bowling unit, delivered when it mattered most.
England’s fightback on Day 4, anchored by centuries from Joe Root (105) and Harry Brook (111), had tilted the game in the hosts’ favour. But the Indian bowlers held their nerve on the final day to produce one of the most thrilling Test finishes in recent memory.
With the five-match series now drawn 2-2, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy concludes as a shared affair — a fitting end to a closely contested and riveting contest between two top Test sides. (Edited)
Brief Scores:
India: 224 & 396 in 88 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 118, Akash Deep 66; Josh Tongue 5-125, Gus Atkinson 3-127)
England: 247 & 367 all out in 85.1 overs (Harry Brook 111, Joe Root 105; Mohammed Siraj 5-104, Prasidh Krishna 4-126)
Result: India won by 6 runs; Series tied 2-2.