(Image source from: Twitter.com/BCCI)
Mohammed Siraj delivered a remarkable performance on the last day of the fifth Test against England at The Oval, leading India to victory with a five-wicket haul. Siraj claimed the wickets of Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, and Gus Atkinson, giving India their smallest margin win in Test cricket history. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the five-match series, being the only bowler to take more than 20 wickets. When a reporter asked him during the press conference about bouncing back from a disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25, Siraj quickly noted that he had also taken 20 wickets in Australia. "I took 20 wickets in BGT, sir. When Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) was performing well, my main role was to bow together as much as I could," Siraj remarked.
With 23 wickets in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Siraj has now joined a select group alongside Kapil Dev and Jasprit Bumrah as Indian fast bowlers to have taken over 20 wickets in multiple series. "I didn't want to overdo it because if I tried too hard, I might let runs slip, and that could increase the pressure," Siraj explained further. While Jasprit Bumrah arguably had the best series ever by an Indian bowler in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, taking 32 wickets, Siraj was a consistent and hardworking partner in the bowling attack. Siraj bowled more overs than any other bowler in the series. Meanwhile, legendary Indian batsman Virat Kohli praised Team India for their thrilling six-run victory against England at The Oval, which tied the series at 2-2.
Great win by team india. Resilience and determination from Siraj and Prasidh has given us this phenomenal victory. Special mention to Siraj who will put everything on the line for the team. Extremely happy for him @mdsirajofficial @prasidh43
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) August 4, 2025
He specifically congratulated pacer Mohammed Siraj, stating that he gives his all for the team. Siraj affirmed his position as one of India’s top bowlers in overseas matches, showcasing an inspiring spell alongside Prasidh Krishna, which led to England collapsing from 317/4 to 367 all out. "Fantastic win by team India. The resilience and determination from Siraj and Prasidh have brought us this amazing victory. Special mention to Siraj, who will risk everything for the team. I’m truly happy for him," Virat commented in a post on X.
