A Chase, a Collapse, and the Unexpected
England needed just 83 runs with seven wickets in hand. At 301 for 3, they were cruising, with Joe Root’s calm and Harry Brook’s brilliance guiding the way. The Oval crowd could feel it. This was going to be another statement from Ben Stokes’ team — another fearless chase, another red-ball revival.
But cricket, as always, found a way to flip the script.
Siraj Finds His Moment
Mohammed Siraj, who had bowled tirelessly all day, produced the breakthrough India desperately needed. Brook, on 111, was dismissed in what felt like the breath before the storm. One wicket became two. Then three. Then England — so confident just an hour earlier — were facing panic.
The ball began to reverse. The crowd fell quiet. India, with tired legs but sharp minds, closed in.
Siraj led from the front, taking 5 for 104, including the final wicket — a perfect full delivery that rattled the stumps and stunned The Oval. He dropped to his knees, overcome with emotion. Not just from the victory, but from everything it took to get there.
England’s Final Stand
Root’s dismissal for 105 was the turning point. His exit exposed a middle order that collapsed under pressure. Bairstow’s rash shot and Stokes’ misjudgment only tightened India’s grip.
Chris Woakes, nursing a dislocated shoulder, walked in at No. 11. He couldn’t swing a bat — his left arm hung limp at his side. He didn’t face a ball, but his courage will be remembered. It was the kind of moment that defines Test cricket — painful, quiet, full of dignity.
A 53 That Changed Everything
What cannot be overlooked is Washington Sundar’s blistering 53 off just 46 balls earlier in the match. India’s innings was faltering at 396/9, but Sundar swung freely, smashing four sixes and four boundaries. His last-wicket stand changed the tone of the match, pushing India’s lead just far enough.
When margins are this small, one hour of brilliance becomes history.
Not Just a Match, but a Statement
This wasn’t just India’s narrowest ever Test win — by a mere six runs. It was a mental triumph. They had lost the first Test, fought back through injuries, form slumps, and pressure, and still managed to draw the series.
Shubman Gill’s calm captaincy, Siraj’s resilience, Sundar’s counterattack — each moment built into something unforgettable.
England will feel they let it slip, and perhaps they did. But this loss wasn’t born from complacency. It came from the relentlessness of their opponents.
Cricket, at Its Most Human
There were no grand celebrations at the end. Just handshakes. Exhaustion. Tears from Siraj. Stokes patting his teammates. Gill hugging his bowlers one by one.
And in that quiet, as the crowd slowly stood in applause, it became clear: this Test was special. Not for what it meant on the scoreboard, but for what it reminded us of.
That even in this age of instant cricket, there’s still nothing quite like five days of belief.