Follow UsEngland head coach Brendon McCullum heaped praise on Mohammed Siraj after the Indian pacer delivered a match-winning performance to help India clinch a thrilling six-run victory on Day 5 of the fifth and final Test at The Oval on August 4 (Monday), levelling the series 2-2.
Set a target of 374, England appeared to be cruising with Joe Root and Harry Brook smashing centuries and stitching together a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. With just 73 runs needed and six wickets in hand, the momentum was firmly with the hosts. But Akash Deep removed Brook to break the stand, and Prasidh Krishna followed up by dismissing Jacob Bethell and Root late on Day 4, giving India a glimmer of hope.
On the final day, England needed only 35 more runs with four wickets in hand. But Siraj turned the game on its head. He got rid of Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton in quick succession before Prasidh cleaned up Josh Tongue. England kept going with Gus Atkinson fighting on and just seven runs required, but Siraj sealed the deal with a sensational inswinging yorker that uprooted Atkinson’s off stump. He finished with 5/104 in 30.1 overs.
Siraj ended the series as the leading wicket-taker, with 23 wickets at an average of 32.43. He also bowled more than 1100 deliveries (185.3 overs) across the five Tests - the most by any bowler in this series. “When Siraj took that final wicket, as much as I was disappointed, I had admiration for him - for the fight he’s got as a cricketer and the way he was able to do what he did,” McCullum told Sky Sports.
The England coach also hailed the series as one of the finest he’s ever experienced. “That is the best five-match Test series I have ever been a part of or witnessed. It just oscillated so much throughout the six weeks, and I felt it had everything. There was hostility at times, camaraderie at times, great cricket at times, and some average cricket as well, because of the pressure both teams were put under.
“We knew it was going to be hard coming into the series. We knew they were going to test us physically and mentally. I think it tested both teams more than we expected. It was a cracking series to be a part of.”
Reflecting on the 2-2 scoreline, he added: “I think 2-2 was a fair reflection. Playing all five days of all five Tests becomes a mental exertion, and I thought the way they dealt with that was impressive. Obviously, we had to call in fresh legs for this last Test match.
“You know that fatigue is coming, but you don’t know what it’s like until it hits you. It is the hardest thing in cricket - playing a five-match series and being tested as much as you are, for as long as you are. It tests you not just as a sportsperson but as a character because it questions how much you want it. As a fan of the game, I thought it was an unbelievable spectacle.”