Follow UsNo Rohit Sharma. No Virat Kohli. No R Ashwin. No Mohammed Shami. And Jasprit Bumrah opting to play only three of the five matches to manage his workload following a back injury - not many gave Shubman Gill and his young team a chance in the five-match Test series against England.
But Gill rose to the challenge and led by example, amassing a staggering 754 runs at an average of 75.40. He was well-supported by KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all of whom scored over 400 runs in the series. All-rounder Washington Sundar also made a significant impact with both bat and ball.
With the ball, it was Mohammed Siraj who shouldered the responsibility of leading India’s attack. The right-arm quick finished as the highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming 23 wickets at an average of 32.43 - a remarkable feat considering the flat, batter-friendly pitches.
Siraj bowled tirelessly across all five Tests. In Bumrah’s absence, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep stepped up, helping India win both matches Bumrah didn’t play. Interestingly, India lost two of the three matches where Bumrah featured.
The final Test at The Oval was a nail-biter. With England needing just 73 runs and still having seven wickets in hand, it seemed the match was slipping away. But Siraj’s five-wicket haul and Prasidh’s four crucial strikes turned the game on its head, leading India to a thrilling six-run victory and levelling the series 2-2.
Posting on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted the significance of this result and what it means for the future of Indian cricket.
“Series drawn with 2 wins that didn’t feature Rohit, Virat, Shami & yes BUMRAH too! Great win for Indian cricket & great LESSON for Indian cricket. No individual is indispensable. Well done team India,” wrote Manjrekar.
Former pacer Irfan Pathan echoed a similar sentiment: “This series reminds everyone once again. CRICKET DOESN’T STOP FOR ANYONE!”
India will now return to red-ball action at home, with four Tests lined up in 2025 - two against West Indies in October and two against South Africa in November.