Mohammed Siraj rose from heartbreak at Lord's to script a fairytale finish at The Oval, leading India to a dramatic six-run win over England. His belief, grit, and nine-wicket haul helped India draw the series 2-2 in a thrilling finale.

In the world of Test cricket, few stories blend heartbreak and heroism quite like Mohammed Siraj's journey from Lord's to The Oval. Just days after being dismissed by a freak delivery that stunned fans and analysts alike, Siraj returned not with revenge, but with resolve. 

With the series on the line, India's spirited pacer rose to the occasion in the fifth and final Test, delivering a performance for the ages. His nine-wicket match haul helped India clinch a dramatic six-run victory, levelling the series 2-2 - and sealing Siraj's redemption in the most poetic way possible.

The delight after taking a match-winning FIFER for your team 😁Scorecard ▶️ #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @mdsirajofficial twitter/kmTBvtOlaz

- BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025

Mohammed Siraj stood stunned at the crease at Lord's. He had done everything right. In one of the most bizarre moments in red-ball cricket history, Siraj was dismissed by a delivery from Shoaib Bashir that seemed to rewrite the laws of physics.

Bashir, playing with a broken finger, sent down a loopy off-break that spun not once, but four times-off the pitch, off Siraj's bat, again off the pitch, and finally onto the stumps. Siraj, batting at No.11 with 30 balls of grit, had defended it with soft hands and perfect technique. But fate had other plans.

“It was as good as a number 11 could be expected to play,” said analyst Jarrod Kimber on his Good Areas Podcast.“But the bat face just turns and angles a little bit... the ball should've dropped straight, but instead it spun into the gap between middle and leg.”

India lost that match by 22 runs. Siraj knelt down, in disbelief and heartbreak.“I thought the match was gone,” he later admitted. But the fire was far from out. His redemption arc was already being written.

Test Cricket. Wow. 😍 twitter/XGDWM1xR2H

- England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 14, 2025

Fast forward eight days. India walked into The Oval for the series decider, down 1-2 and missing their pace leader Jasprit Bumrah. The odds were against them. But Siraj woke up with a feeling.

“I woke up in the morning and checked Google on my phone and took out a 'Believe' emoji wallpaper and told myself that I will do it for the country,” he said, beaming in a post-match interview with Dinesh Karthik.

With four wickets in hand and 35 runs to get, England were favourites at the start of day five. The sun had shone all morning, but just two hours before play, clouds rolled in over London. The atmosphere shifted. Something was brewing.

When play began, Jamie Overton and Gus Atkinson resumed the chase. Prasidh Krishna leaked a couple of boundaries. England were just 27 runs away.

But Siraj wasn't going to let it slip again.

India's stoic warrior steamed in from the Pavilion End. In his very first over, he got the ball to shape away and dismissed the dangerous Jamie Smith with a perfect delivery. The Indian fans erupted.

“Every ball of that Siraj over was an event,” the commentators noted.

Then came the trap for Overton - a beautiful nip-backer that clipped the leg-stump. Reviewed and retained. England needed 20. India smelled blood.

From belief to brilliance - the power of manifestation ft. #MohammadSiraj 💫#MohammadSiraj #PrasidhKrishna #ENGvIND #INDvENG twitter/uLCrROFr6p

- Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 4, 2025

Prasidh backed Siraj up with a big wicket - Josh Tongue trapped in front. A deafening roar followed as England were nine down.

Then came a moment out of folklore.

A game after Rishabh Pant had batted with a fractured foot, Chris Woakes walked out with a tied broken left arm. It was 1963 all over again - Colin Cowdrey's spirit reborn.

Woakes couldn't bat. Atkinson had to hit.

And he did. He cleared the ropes, bringing the target down to single digits. Akash Deep got a hand to the ball but couldn't hold on. The game teetered on the edge.

And then Siraj ended it.

A searing yorker, fired at the base of the stumps, crashed through Atkinson's off-pole. India won by six runs and this time, Siraj celebrated in triumph - 'Siuuuu' style!

Yeh #NayaIndia hain, ye haar kar, phir jeetna jaanta hai 💙 Mohammed Siraj lands the winning blow to script a historic victory at The Oval 🔥#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @mdsirajofficial twitter/rmoemQV7e0

- Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 4, 2025

For his relentless bowling display and scalping nine wickets, Mohd. Siraj bags the Player of the Match award in the 5th Test 👏👏Scorecard ▶️ #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @mdsirajofficial twitter/GyUl6dZWWp

- BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025

Siraj bowled 185.3 overs in the series, claiming 23 wickets. Without Bumrah, the Deputy Superintendent of Police from Telangana carried India's pace attack on his back.

He finished the Oval Test with figures of 5 for 104 in 30.1 overs, and a match haul of nine wickets - earning him a well-deserved Player of the Match award.

“I always believe that I can win the game from any point,” he told JioCinema.“My only plan was to bowl good areas. Didn't matter if I took wickets or went for runs.”

The humility belied the magnitude of his effort. Earlier in the game, Siraj's feet had touched the boundary cushion while trying to catch Harry Brook on 19 - a mistake that cost India dearly as Brook went on to score a century.“We were behind the game after that,” Siraj admitted.“But thank God.”

The man of the moment! 🏻#MohammadSiraj takes us through the nervy moments & how he stood strong winning it for #TeamIndia with a fifer after the dropped-catch! 🥹#ENGvIND #INDvENG twitter/fTqeauBlJC

- Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 4, 2025

India drew the series 2-2 - a result that KL Rahul, one of the batting heroes with two hundreds, believed marked a turning point.

“For us as a team that wasn't given a chance in the series... to fight back and fight every game and get a result of 2-2... this is where the change begins and the team will win a lot more series outside of India,” Rahul said.

From heartbreak at Lord's to the ecstasy at The Oval, Mohammed Siraj's journey wasn't just a story of wickets. It was a tale of belief, redemption, and indomitable spirit.

From heartbreak at Lord's to jubilation at The Oval ❤️What a difference a couple of Test matches makes for Mohammed Siraj 🇮🇳 twitter/YmIClbu6th

- Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 4, 2025

In Siraj, India didn't just find a fast bowler. They found a warrior who refused to bow down, no matter how cruel the game - or fate - seemed to be.

And in doing so, Siraj didn't just win a Test match and level the series 2-2.

He won hearts.

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