In the fifth and final Test match played here, India defeated England by six runs, tying the series, thanks to the tenacious Mohammed Siraj’s warrior spirit. It was a fitting conclusion to one of the most fiercely contested and dramatic matches in recent memory. Before play began, England had the upper hand with four wickets and 35 runs remaining, but Siraj, the gladiator, made life miserable for the rival batsmen from the first delivery.
India’s Ravindra Siraj and Prasidh Krishna’s performances in a five-match rubber left England short by the thinnest margins, allowing India to secure a 2-2 score. Despite missing Jasprit Bumrah because of workload management, Siraj’s nine-wicket performance earned him the title of player of the match. The series-decider went to the final day, with both teams fighting hard from start to finish. The rain-shortened day gave India hope, as they filled the 27,500 capacity facility. India’s triumph will put them at the top of the rankings and lead to more series outside of India for Indian Test cricket in the future.
Prasidh Krishna bowled a short ball, allowing Jamie Overton to score a four. India’s Siraj made the old ball talk, causing Indian fandom to erupt. A half chance was created against Gus Atkinson, but it was not taken by K L Rahul. Siraj foxed Overton with a nip backer, reducing England to 350 for nine. Prasidh backed up Siraj, reducing England to nine. On-field bravado continued with Chris Woakes stepping into the centre with a tied broken left arm, a moment that echoed Colin Cowdrey’s 1963 performance.