August 6, 2025 – It’s been less than 48 hours since Mohammad Siraj bowled that searing yorker to blow off Gus Atkinson’s off stump out of the ground. A second later, Siraj was doing the famous Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, aka ‘Siuuu’, and in no time, all Indian players ran towards him to celebrate in jubilation.
The stadium erupted in a loud cacophony; there was a palpable sense of disbelief in the air, on both the English and Indian sides, and The Oval had just witnessed history. These were the raw moments that followed after India beat England by the narrowest margin of 6 runs in the 5th and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
India and England had saved the best for last. It was a truly spectacular finish to an even remarkable Test series; a fitting end to the great English cricket summer. But the finish wouldn’t be this spectacular, nor would the moment be etched in history, as it is now, if not for the 6 weeks of gruelling Test cricket that preceded that moment. With India winning the 5th Test, they leveled the series 2-2, and took home the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy on account of winning the previous series 4-1 between them.
As we, Indians, are still basking in the glorious moments from the recently concluded series, collecting countless memories that will last a lifetime, let’s look back at the Test series and relive some of the biggest highlights from each of the 5 Tests. Every single Test match went for all 5 days, which is a rarity in modern-day cricket. This series had it all. It was the biggest testament to 5-day Test matches, if there was ever any.
1st Test Match – Headingley
Although it seems like ages ago, the first Test match at Headingley began on June 20 and kicked off the series. The match went for all 5 days and the fifth day was, as always, the most exciting one. England won the toss and elected to field. India scored 471 in the first innings, courtesy of centuries by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant.
England, in their reposte, posted 465, as the match remained on a knife’s edge. India posted another good score of 364 in their second innings and set a target of 371 for England to win. England scored 373-5, chasing the huge target with enough ease by the end. It was a testament to how they play cricket and their ‘Bazball’ approach. Here are the top 3 moments that stood out from the match.
Young India Stood Tall on Day 1
India ended on 359-3 at the end of Day 1 of the first Test at Headingley. While it is a massive score to put up on the opening day of a Test match, India’s highest ever on English soil, it is the background and the context behind it that makes it extra special. With the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, there were a lot of aspersions on the young Indian cricket team traveling to England.
Critics, experts, and even keyboard warriors barely spared this team from harsh words, and a lot of them wrote them off even before the start. To climb above such criticism and stand tall on the expectations of a billion people, the young Indian side did exceptionally well to post 359-3 on Day 1 after being put to bat by England. Even though the match was lost, India showed grit, resilience, and true character that said they belonged there.
Missed Opportunities
England may have scored 465 in their first innings, taking their total close to India’s. But it wouldn’t have been possible without some aid from the Indian fielders and bowlers. India had the chance to bury England in the first innings itself with a massive lead, if only they were perfect in the field. But it wasn’t to be.
The first catch drop was of Ben Duckett by arguably India’s best fielder, Ravindra Jadeja. Duckett was on 15 then, and he went on to score 62, adding 47 extra runs. The next catch miss was by Yashasvi Jaiswal in the third slip. Jaiswal dropped Ollie Pope on 60, and he went on to score 106, adding 46 extra runs after getting a lifeline. The next English batter got multiple lifelines, and he made India pay heavily.
Harry Brook was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah after being holed out to Mohammed Siraj inside the circle. Unfortunately for India, that was a no-ball from Bumrah. Brook had yet to open his account then. He was later dropped on 46 by Rishabh Pant off Jadeja’s bowling, and on 82 by Jaiswal again, this time in the fourth slip, off Bumrah’s ball.
Brook eventually got out on 99. All of these missed opportunities cost India a lot, as England almost matched India’s first innings score. Looking back, these opportunities were a defining moment that could’ve tilted the game in India’s favor very early on in the game.
England’s Record-Breaking Chase
England had previously chased 378 against India at Edgbaston in 2022. They had done it with 7 wickets in hand and some panache back then. This time, they chased 371 for the loss of 5 wickets, but with the same panache. Under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum regime, England had almost made it a habit of chasing mammoth scores in the fourth innings of a Test match, something that’s usually considered a tough task. This chase, steered by Ben Duckett’s flamboyant 149 and Joe Root’s 53, was just another feather in their cap. Duckett was adjudged Man of the Match.
2nd Test Match – Edgbaston
After England’s triumphant win over India in the Headingley Test, very few started to believe in an India comeback. It was especially emboldened when India decided to rest their superstar pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. But to everyone’s surprise, India posted 587 in the first innings as Shubman Gill brought up his maiden Test double century (269). In response, England slipped to 84-5, and it looked like India would take a massive lead.
However, a 303-run partnership between Harry Brook and Jamie Smith kept England in the game. After Akash Deep broke the partnership by cleaning up Brook, England’s innings folded pretty quickly after that. They were bowled out for 407, as India took a 180-run lead.
In the second innings, India posted 427-6 declared and set a target of 608 for England to win. Once again, England were reduced to 83-5 and a win looked very unlikely. Eventually, they were bowled out for 271, and India secured a massive 336-run victory. Here are the top 3 moments from the Test match.
Akash Deep’s 10-Wicket Haul in the Match
India went into the Test match without Jasprit Bumrah, and everyone had their apprehensions about picking up 20 English wickets. Akash Deep replaced the Ahmedabad-born GOAT, and it was clear as day that England were going to roll out a flat track. Akash Deep, who comes from the small town of Dehri in Bihar, rose to the occasion. He took 4 important wickets in the first innings, and Siraj took the remaining 6. Akash Deep picked up Duckett, Pope, Brook, and Woakes to leave England reeling while batting. He came back even stronger in the second innings, picking up 6 wickets. His victims included Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Brydon Carse. His 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston will go down in history as a special and rare record by a bowler debuting in England.
Shubman Gill Touching the Heavens; Playing Second Fiddle to Graham Gooch
Even though Akash Deep picked up a 10-wicket haul, the Edgbaston Test will go down in history as Shubman Gill’s finest ever performance. Not many cricketers score 269 in the first innings, and then follow it up with a 161 in the second innings. His 430 runs in a Test match is the second-highest ever in a Test match, right after Graham Gooch’s 456 runs (333 & 123) at Lord’s against India in 1990. Shubman Gill exuded class, elegance, grace, and style en route to his double and single tons, respectively. He put the doubters to bed and sealed his stamp of authority as India’s captain-cum-No. 4 batter. His brilliant performance will not only go down as one of the key moments of the series, but also in Indian cricket history.
Jamie Smith’s and Harry Brook’s Fiery Counterattack
Even though India did eventually win the match by a massive 336 runs, they had a chance to completely bury England in the first innings with a massive lead. England were 84-5, and just when it looked like India could bundle them out for a paltry score, Jamie Smith started attacking. He came out to bat in a tricky period, and instead of defending and playing cautiously, he launched a scary counterattack. He brought up his century with a strike rate above a hundred, and Harry Brook on the other end didn’t hold back either. Smith remained Not Out at 184 of 207 balls, and Brook scored a massive 158 off 234 balls. Their 303-run partnership is the 9th highest partnership for the 6th wicket in Tests.
3rd Test Match – Lord’s
After the first two Test matches offered batting pitches, Lord’s had something else to offer. England won the toss and, to everyone’s surprise, chose to bat. That wasn’t the only surprise. England decided to put their ‘Bazball’ approach away for a bit and played conventional cricket. At the end of Day 1, England were 251-4. It was a tricky pitch, and England did well to stick to their basics and not lose too many wickets in trying to play too aggressively.
England were eventually bowled out for 387 in their first innings, after Bumrah took 3 quick wickets in the opening spell of Day 2. India, in response, started well. KL Rahul brought up a fighting century before getting out, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja scored 74 and 72, respectively, and India looked well on their way to taking a massive lead.
However, given the fitting nature of how closely matched these two teams have been, India’s first innings ended at 387, courtesy of a tail-ender collapse. India then got the ball moving and spinning and bowled England out cheaply for 192 runs. With only a target of 193, India were confident of chasing it at the end of Day 4.
However, Ben Stokes and co. exorcised the demons of the former greats to put India under immense pressure. At 82-7, India were staring at a heavy defeat in Lord’s. But there was one last twist remaining. Ravindra Jadeja stitched a record-long partnership with Jasprit Bumrah, and then again with Mohammed Siraj, to almost guide India home. Eventually, India fell 22 runs short. Here are the top 3 moments from the game that stood out for me.
England Put Bazball Away; Play Sensible Cricket
England won the toss and chose to bat, perhaps because they sensed how difficult it must be to chase any score in the last innings of a Lord’s Test. They were right. But not willing to bat last also meant batting first on Day 1 when India got the ball moving both ways.
England played cautiously, and they were right to do so. In hindsight, had they tried something drastic or aggressive, wickets could’ve fallen in a flurry, and the scoreline and result could’ve looked very different. Joe Root, perhaps England’s only non-Bazballer, played standard, orthodox cricket and brought up a scintillating hundred in front of the Lord’s crowd. It laid the foundation for England’s innings, as they scored a decent total of 387.
Personal Milestones and a Crucial Run Out
This may look like a rather innocuous moment in the game, but it feeds into the deep-seated culture and obsession with how we consume cricket in India (& subcontinent) as opposed to the rest of the world. In India’s first innings, Rishabh Pant was run out by Ben Stokes. A terrific pick-up and throw to dismiss one of the world’s most entertaining cricketers, who was looking well set on 74. It wasn’t just an ordinary run out.
It was right at the stroke of Lunch on Day 3, when Pant and KL Rahul were conspiring to bring the latter’s century before the break. In this rush of doing things, Rishabh Pant got run out. Everybody, from commentators, broadcasters, and experts, blamed it on India’s obsession with milestones. If not for that run out, India could’ve piled on more runs, as both Pant and Rahul looked in sublime touch.
Ravindra Jadeja’s Defiant Stance with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj
As the match was advancing neck-to-neck, little did people know that the crescendo was yet to happen in the last innings. After being set a relatively small target of 193, India converted a molehill into a mountain as they were reduced to 84-7. Ben Stokes and Joffra Archer were relentless with the ball, picking up KL Rahul, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar between them.
They broke the back of the Indian batting order. But one man was standing till the end – Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja stood at the crease like an immovable rock. When India were 112-8, still requiring 81 runs to win, a loss looked imminent. That is exactly when Jadeja struck a partnership with Jasprit Bumrah.
It was the slowest of all partnerships, where Bumrah faced 54 balls, stayed for nearly two hours, and scored 5 runs. He lost patience and hit a ball straight up in the air that was caught by the substitute fielder Sam Cook. The score read 147-9, with India still needing 46 runs to win. Jadeja then struck another partnership with India’s no. 11 batter – Mohammed Siraj.
This time, Siraj was determined not to give his wicket. He and Jadeja together took India closer to victory, with only 23 more runs required to win. At this point, as Ben Stokes throws the ball to Shoaib Bashir for one over, they get the breakthrough. Bashir bowls a short of length off-spin ball to Siraj, who defends it with the middle of his bat. Siraj couldn’t have defended the ball any better. But as is the nature of the slope of the Lord’s, combined with the revolutions on the ball, it drops to the ground and then rolls on to hit the stumps.
A single bail falls to the ground. In one fell swoop, it was both ‘Agony and Ecstasy’ at Lord’s – Agony for India and Ecstasy for England. India were bowled out for 170, as Jadeja stood tall at the other end on 61 off 181 deliveries. He had batted for 4.5 hours, and still couldn’t guide his team to victory.
4th Test Match – Manchester
With England 2-1 up, both teams began the 4th Test match of the series in Manchester. It was possibly the flattest track of the series, one that became increasingly docile as the game progressed. England won the toss again and put India to bat. This was a brilliant decision, since whatever trick the conditions were playing to make it difficult to bat, it was at the start of the match. India did well to navigate such conditions and put up a score of 358 in the first innings.
However, the moment England came out to bat, it looked like the pitch had nothing to offer to bowlers. England piled up a mammoth total of 669, giving India a lead of 311 runs. With a day-and-a-half left for the match to end, India needed to bat for around 150 overs to save the Test match. It looked highly unlikely.
An ‘Indian loss by an innings’ looked even more prominent when both Jasiwal and Sai Saudarshan were sent back to the pavilion in the first over of the 3rd innings by Chris Woakes. India was reeling at 0-2. From there, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill forged an unforgettable partnership of 188 runs.What was more impressive was that they batted for 70 overs together. India ended Day 4 at 174-2, without losing any more wickets.
If Gill and Rahul were resilient on Day 4, what followed on Day 5 was even more toughness from India. KL Rahul got out quickly on Day 5 to a delivery from Ben Stokes that stayed low and hurried him into the pads; it was a plumb LBW. He scored 90 off 230 balls. Gill later got out after scoring 103 off 238 balls. Both of them had contributed immensely to India’s defiance. However, there were still a lot of overs left for England to snatch a win.
But just as Gill got out, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar batted for another 56 overs to draw the test match. It was a remarkable effort from India to come from behind and avoid a loss. Despite India’s heroics, the match ended in some controversy. So let’s delve into it and discuss some key moments from this game.
Ben Stokes’ All-Round ‘Superman’ Performance
Ben Stokes picked up a 5-wicket haul in the first innings and then scored a 141 off 198 balls with the bat. It was one of the all-time great performances by an all-rounder in Test cricket. He is only the fifth test captain to do so. He joined the list with Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Imran Khan (Pakistan), and Denis Atkinson (West Indies). To add to the drama, Stokes was exhausted beyond belief, and he was limping while batting at one point. It was a sight to behold.
India’s Strong Defiance in the Face of Imminent Defeat
India was 0-2 in the first over of their second innings, still trailing by 311 runs. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul built a strong partnership from there, ensuring India doesn’t lose another wicket on Day 4. India ended the day with a score of 174-2. Both KL and Shubman had potentially put India in a strong position to draw the match. Come Day 5, India lost KL Rahul early, as he departed for a well-made 90 off 230 balls.
Later on, Joffra Archer dismissed Shubman Gill for 103 off 238 balls, and England were once again favorites to win the match. But what followed was yet another show of strength and resilience. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar batted for almost 5 hours and 56 overs to draw the match. Jadeja remained Not Out on 107 off 185 balls and Sundar on 101 off 206 balls. India had batted out 5 sessions to draw the test match; they had dug themselves out from a huge hole.
The Handshake/No-Handshake Controversy
Despite such strong resilience from India, and England’s show of brilliance with the bat, what happened at the end of the match is what stole the limelight. When India was on 386-4, inching closer to a draw, Ben Stokes offered to shake hands with the batters (Jadeja and Sundar) and agree upon a draw.
However, as Jadeja was batting on 89* and Sundar on 80*, neither of them wanted to accept the draw and walk off then. They had done the hard work to save the match for India, and now they deserved to get their centuries. Stokes, on the other hand, was in no mood to tire out his bowlers further and was ready to settle for a draw.
Therefore, as Stokes offered to shake his hands (a courtesy gesture for a draw), Jadeja and Sundar refused it. Later on, after both Sundar and Jadeja got their hundreds, a controversy emerged online that Stokes refused to shake Jadeja’s hands out of spite. As it turned out, that wasn’t true. Nevertheless, this moment created a huge controversy and was worthy of a key moment in this game.
5th Test Match – The Oval
After a resolute display of courage and bravery by India in the 4th Test, the series was ready for a great showdown in the 5th Test. And the Test lived up to its expectations. England won the toss once again and put India to bat. India posted a decent total of 224. The score may look low at a glance, but given the conditions to bat, it was decent. England began their reposte in a blistering manner, bringing up their 100 in around 14 overs; they had only lost the wicket of Ben Duckett until then.
At around 175-3, England looked well on their way to post a huge total and bury India under a big lead. Just then, Mohammed Siraj struck with the wicket of Joe Root, trapping him in the pads in front. Soon enough, Jacob Bethell followed (LBW by Siraj), and after that, it was a procession of wickets. England were bowled out for 247, managing only a lead of 23 runs. India came out to bat in their second innings with a huge morale boost, having avoided a big lead by England.
India started well, with Jasiwal taking an aggressive approach. Jaiswal brought up his hundred on Day 3 and put India in a good position. The surprise factor was Akash Deep, the nightwatchman from the previous day, who scored a solid, confident 66 off 94 balls. Later on, Jadeja scored a 53 off 77 balls, and so did Washington Sundar off 46 balls. The latter brought up his fifty in a zesty manner, scoring some potent blows off Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue towards the end of that innings. India set England a target of 374, and the contest was set for an epic finale.
England started well in their chase, but lost Zak Crawley on the last ball of Day 3. Siraj had cleaned up his off stump. Day 4 started in a pretty promising way for India. Prasiddh Krishna picked up the wicket of Ben Duckett, and Siraj dismissed Ollie Pope LBW. With 106-3, England were in a bit of a bother.
In comes Harry Brook, and he had other plans than to hand the victory to India on a platter. Brook provided a catching chance to Siraj off Krishna’s delivery, but it went for a six as Siraj caught the ball and stepped on the boundary line. Brook then went into beast-mode, as he scored 111 off 98 deliveries. Root too brought up his hundred, scoring 105 off 152 deliveries. England needed 73 runs to win at one point with 7 wickets remaining.
That is exactly when Brook got out. Soon enough, India were back in the hunt. A late collapse by England eventually ensured India won the match by 6 runs. It was a win for the ages, and team India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Here are the top 3 moments that stood out from the game.
India Bowl Out England for 247 in the First Innings
After India posted a decent total of 224 in the first innings, England looked well on their way to taking a huge lead at 175-3. From there, India managed to bowl England out for 247, restricting the lead to only 23 runs. England lost their last 7 wickets for only 72 runs, thanks to some brilliant bowling from India post lunch on Day 2. This bounce-back from India kept them in the game. This was a crucial moment from India, since they repeated a similar collapse in the second innings and that ensured the victory for India.
India take 7 Wickets for 66 Runs to Win the Match
When England were set a target of 374, the win didn’t seem likely on the cards for them. This was mainly due to the up & down nature of the pitch. At 106-3, India must’ve also felt that they had the win in the bag.
However, a 195-run partnership by Harry Brook saw England cruising towards the target. Brook got out at 111, trying to hoist a ball from Akash Deep over the boundary line, and caught by Siraj inside the ring. With 67 runs to win and 6 wickets in hand, England still looked like the likely winner. But then, Krishna provided a flurry of wickets, dismissing Jacob Bethell and Joe Root in quick succession.
Suddenly, England were in all sorts of bother. With only 35 runs required to win, and 4 wickets in hand, the Umpires decided to call the day off 4 due to rain. The contest was set for a thrilling end on Day 5. England and India both walked off the ground believing they could win the match, but the former was more likely to pull it off.
However, it was India who came out all guns blazing on Day 5. India picked up the remaining 4 wickets for 28 runs, and sealed a momentous victory by 6 runs. It was Mohammed Siraj who was the pick of the bowlers.
Mohammed Siraj’s ‘Herculean’ Effort
The moment Mohammed Siraj cleaned up Gus Atkinson’s off-stump, everyone was bowled over by Siraj’s effort and quality throughout the game and the series. At the beginning of the 5th Test, Siraj and Chris Woakes were the only two pacers to play all 5 Tests in the series.
That in itself is a ‘Back-Breaking’ effort. But then, Woakes injured his arm while diving for a ball towards the boundary on Day 1. That left Siraj as the only pacer to play all 5 Tests completely. By the end of the series, Siraj had bowled 185.3 overs, the most by anyone in the entire series. Chris Woakes was the second on that list with 181 overs.
If that wasn’t already a ‘Herculean’ effort in itself, Siraj pushed another limit by picking up 9 wickets in the final Test match, 4 in the first innings and 5 in the second. His final delivery that dismissed Atkinson was bowled at 143 kmph. This was, in every inch, a Superhuman performance by Siraj, one that literally won the match for India. Mohammed Siraj was the rightful Man of the Match.
Notable Mention
Chris Woakes had his left arm in a sling after being injured on Day 1. He was effectively ruled out of the game and did not bat in the first innings. It was almost impossible for him to bat or bowl in this match anymore, except there was a twist at the end.
England would’ve done everything to ensure they win the match without ever needing Woakes to come out to bat. But as they lost their 9th wicket, with Tongue clean bowled by Krishna, Woakes came out to bat with his left arm in a sling, inside the sweater, and holding the bat in his right hand.
It was a sight to behold, as his bravery was applauded by both the English and the Indian crowd there in attendance at the Oval. Thankfully though, he did not have to face a single ball as Atkinson kept farming the strike. He was in excruciating pain even as he was running singles and doubles in between the crease. Eventually, Atkinson was bowled out to finish the match, and every single cricketer lauded Woakes for his courage.
