London, August 6: India sealed a dramatic six-run win over England in the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Monday, levelling the series 2-2 after a fiercely contested five-match campaign that went down to the final day.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj emerged as the hero for the visitors, claiming five wickets for 104 runs in the second innings, including the decisive dismissal of Gus Atkinson with a pinpoint yorker that rattled the stumps. Siraj, who bowled over 1,000 deliveries across the series, overcame fatigue and earlier fielding errors to script a memorable comeback.
Chasing a daunting 374 for victory, England resumed on the final morning needing just 35 runs with four wickets in hand, but India’s seamers held their nerve. Prasidh Krishna, who took 4-126, supported Siraj ably to dismantle the English tail in overcast conditions.
The match saw England fall from a commanding 301 for 3 to 367 all out, as the last seven wickets tumbled for just 66 runs. Centuries from Harry Brook (111) and Joe Root (105) had given the hosts a strong platform, but India’s bowlers turned the tide late on Day 4 and continued their dominance on Day 5.
The narrow win marks India’s third Test victory at The Oval, following earlier triumphs in 1971 and 2021, and draws the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. It also marked the first time since the 2017–18 Ashes that all matches in a five-Test series went to the final day.
India had posted 224 in their first innings, with England replying with 247. In the second innings, the visitors scored a strong 396, setting up a formidable target on a wearing surface.
Despite injury setbacks throughout the series and questions over the team’s transition phase, Shubman Gill’s side showed resilience and composure, delivering a performance hailed as a powerful advertisement for Test cricket.
England’s late resistance included a brief cameo from Chris Woakes, who batted with his arm in a sling, evoking memories of Malcolm Marshall’s famous one-handed innings in 1983. But Siraj’s intensity and accuracy proved too much as India clinched victory in a gripping finish.
The series ends all square, with both sides now turning attention to preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship cycle.
