Mohammed Siraj produced a spell for the ages at The Oval, claiming five wickets in the second innings to power India to a dramatic six-run victory over England in the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy Test series. The 31-year-old pacer finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 23 scalps, earning the Player of the Match award and helping India square the five-match battle 2–2.

The final day began with India needing four wickets and England requiring just 35 runs. The hosts gained early momentum when Jamie Overton cracked two boundaries off Prasidh Krishna’s opening deliveries. But Siraj quickly tilted the contest in India’s favour, removing Jamie Smith in his first over of the day. He then snared two more vital wickets, including the decisive dismissal of Gus Atkinson with a perfectly executed yorker when England were just seven runs short of the target.

Even ICC Elite Panel umpire Kumar Dharmasena was captivated, sharing a photograph of Siraj’s match-winning ball on Instagram with the caption: “So lucky to witness this ball from the best seat in the house.”

The victory was particularly satisfying for Siraj after the disappointment of the Lord’s Test, where a freak incident saw the ball roll back onto his stumps. His outstanding series has now propelled him to 15th place in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings.

From Dropped Catch to Match Winner – Siraj’s Grit Defines India’s Triumph at The Oval

Siraj’s performance at The Oval was not without its hurdles. On Day 4, he dropped Harry Brook near the boundary ropes, a reprieve that allowed the England batter to go on and score 111. Brook and Joe Root’s 195-run stand for the fourth wicket had put England firmly in control in their chase of 374. Yet, Siraj’s resilience shone through, leading the Indian attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and delivering under pressure.

Kumar Dharmasena's Instagram post for the Iconic Oval Test. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/SUU9AHNZLk

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 12, 2025

His influence wasn’t limited to The Oval. In the Edgbaston Test, India’s most dominant win of the series by 336 runs, Siraj took six wickets in the first innings to set the tone. The pacer marked his Oval triumph with a Cristiano Ronaldo-style celebration after taking the final wicket, capping off a nine-wicket haul in the match. His relentless accuracy, ability to move the ball, and knack for breaking partnerships underlined his growing stature as India’s pace spearhead.

In a series where conditions demanded skill and patience, Siraj emerged as India’s workhorse, a bowler who could be trusted with the ball when the game hung in the balance. This tour may well be remembered as the moment Mohammed Siraj fully arrived as a world-class Test fast bowler.

It was Mohammed Siraj who confirmed India's win at The Oval by clinching the wicket of Gus Atkinson. Day 5 lasted about only one hour, and the winner of the match was in front of the spectators—it was Shubman Gill and Co. who pulled out an absolutely stunning victory over England.

England was by far the favorite to win the match and the series when Joe Root and Harry Brook were batting in the middle. The moment shifted suddenly after the dismissal of Brook and the Root. England's lower-order batting collapsed. Gus Atkinson tried his best to survive and protect the last wicket with an injured Chris Woakes, whose left arm was tucked in a sling inside the sweater.

Incredible scenes at The Oval. England needed 7 runs to win, and India needed only 1 wicket. Mohammed Siraj gifted Captain Gill and Team India the remaining wicket in the form of Gus Atkinson. Both teams showed outstanding character in the middle to influence the result of the match. India came from behind and did that in the most dramatic fashion.

Read More: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 5th Test: Dhruv Jurel caught behind, length delivery from Mohammed Siraj clinched Jamie Smith

Watch the winning moments here

MY GOAT 🐐

SUIIIRAAAJ👑#INDvsENGTest #INDvsEND #OvalTest pic.twitter.com/BHlfnp95x0

— sachin gurjar (@SachinGurj91435) August 4, 2025

Mohammed Siraj came over the stumps and delivered a yorker straight like an arrow, aimed at the off stump. Gus Atkinson went low and tried to drag it to the leg side with a sweep shot but missed, and the ball uprooted the off stump. Siraj completed a 5-for in this innings. India won the match by 6 runs and shaped the scoreline of the 5-match Anderson-Tendulkar trophy to 2-2. 

At the moment of the match, Mohammed Siraj said, "I was just focusing on bowling in the right areas and was not too concerned if I conceded a boundary. My only aim was to pick wickets for my country."

Gus Atkinson’s hostile pace of bowling left India gasping for breath. India turned up on day two and started off proceedings on a promising score of 204-6. But an unprecedented burst from Atkinson, followed by his partner in crime, Josh Tongue, saw India capitulate well inside the first hour of the day’s play. Atkinson emerged as the standout performer, finishing as the most successful bowler for England with exemplary figures of 5-33.

On a surface that offered swing and variable bounce at times, Atkinson proved way too good for the Indian lower-order batters. The 27-year-old got the ball rolling by dismissing Washington Sundar off a well-directed short bumper. Atkinson dug in short and invited Sundar to go over the top. Sundar couldn’t resist his temptation and tried to take on the short ball in a bid to accumulate some quick runs. But unfortunately for him, the ploy backfired as he couldn’t keep the ball down and handed a regulation catch to Overton at deep square leg. This was also his first scalp of the day, too.

Besides, he did not allow the tailenders to linger around either. His next two wickets came in quick succession. Atkinson made Siraj play down the wrong line and deceived him with an unplayable inswinger to peg his off-stump back. A couple of balls later, Prasidh Krishna followed suit as he chased an outswinging delivery, which subsequently resulted in a faint outside edge. He was assisted by Tongue, who also maintained pressure from the other end and kept the Indian at bay with formidable figures of 3-57.

See also: Why are England players wearing headbands on Day 2 of ENG vs IND 5th Test at Kennington Oval?

WATCH: Atkinson puts on a show with a five-fer

Gus Atkinson AGAIN!

Siraj is gone and India are nine down.

🇮🇳 2️⃣2️⃣4️⃣-9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/w3imHVFmtO

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 1, 2025

Atkinson has made a resounding return to this format since his last appearance against Zimbabwe in May. Though he was amongst the wickets in that match, he didn’t quite have the same venom as he did in this game. Quite noticeably, his pace also erred on the slower side in that one-off test series against Zimbabwe.

The English quicks have completed a swift demolition job in the early hours of day two of the fifth test. As a result, India could only add 20-odd runs to their overnight score of 204. England’s response with the bat has been ferocious to say the least. At the time of writing, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have made life quite difficult for the Indian bowlers, plundering a breezy 59 inside seven overs without losing a single wicket.

England’s injury troubles deepened on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval, as experienced all-rounder Chris Woakes walked off the field nursing a suspected shoulder injury. The incident occurred late in the final session, when Woakes attempted to save a boundary at long-off and landed awkwardly on his left shoulder, visibly grimacing as he left the field with his arm tucked inside his sweater.

The 35-year-old had bowled 14 overs in the day, picking up the key wicket of KL Rahul and conceding 46 runs. His absence looms large over an already-depleted England side, which is without the services of captain Ben Stokes and several other first-choice players.

Atkinson steps up as England grapple with Woakes blow and mounting injury concerns

Gus Atkinson, who claimed two wickets from 19 overs on the rain-affected opening day, offered a cautious update on Woakes’ condition. “I don’t know too much about it, but it doesn’t look great,” he said. “It’s a big shame that the last game of the series and when anyone gets injured, it’s a shame. I’m hoping it’s not too bad, and whatever it is, he’ll get full support from everyone.”

The injury came while Woakes chased a drive from Karun Nair in the 57th over. Although he successfully stopped the boundary, saving one run for his side, he immediately clutched his shoulder in pain before walking off the field.

England’s pace stocks are now under immense pressure. With Woakes’ availability uncertain and four players, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Liam Dawson already rested, the remaining attack includes Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue, and Jacob Bethell, who together boast just 18 Test caps. Atkinson, however, expressed confidence in stepping up in Woakes’ potential absence. “Definitely, I feel fresh, I feel good. I know I’ve only got this one game to play, so I can push the limits a bit,” he said.

ALSO SEE: Exclusive!! Anil Chaudhary gives insights on ENG vs IND 2025 series and India-Pakistan WCL clashes

Meanwhile, the injury situation has reignited the debate around injury replacements in Test cricket. The issue came into focus earlier in the series when India were allowed to replace an injured Rishabh Pant with Dhruv Jurel as wicketkeeper. India head coach Gautam Gambhir supported the idea of injury substitutions, stating that "if someone’s visibly injured, there’s nothing wrong with making a change."

Woakes injury fuels injury replacement debate as England face selection dilemma in series decider

England captain Ben Stokes, however, strongly opposed the idea, arguing that such a policy could be easily misused. “You pick your 11 for a game; injuries are part of the game,” Stokes said. “I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements.”

As things stand, the rules only allow like-for-like substitutes in cases of concussion. That means even if Woakes is ruled out of the match, England cannot bring in a bowling substitute, a situation that could significantly hamper their chances in the deciding Test.

India, meanwhile, ended the rain-marred opening day on 204/6, with Karun Nair anchoring the innings with an unbeaten half-century. With overcast conditions expected to persist, both teams will be hoping their depleted line-ups can withstand the physical and tactical challenges ahead.

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal fell cheaply on Day 1 of the fifth Test against England at The Oval, managing just two runs from nine balls. His dismissal came in the fourth over, as England pacer Gus Atkinson bowled a delivery with a wobbly seam from around the wicket. The ball angled back into the left-hander, who attempted to push forward defensively but missed by a considerable margin. The delivery struck both pads, prompting a loud appeal from the English fielders, which was initially turned down by the on-field umpire.

England skipper Ollie Pope opted for a review after the appeal was rejected, taking the decision upstairs to TV umpire Rod Tucker. The replays confirmed that the ball had not made contact with Jaiswal’s bat and was crashing into the stumps. All three indicators lit up red on ball-tracking, prompting Tucker to advise on-field umpire Ahsan Raza to overturn the original decision. Jaiswal was given out LBW, giving England an early breakthrough.

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The dismissal adds to a mixed run for Jaiswal in this series, where he has shown moments of brilliance but lacked consistency. His scores in the nine innings so far read: 101, 4, 87, 28, 13, 0, 58, 0, and 5. With two ducks and several low scores, his performance has fluctuated despite a solid start. The team would’ve hoped for a stronger contribution from him in this decisive match. You can catch the video of this dismissal to see how Atkinson’s clever bowling did the trick early on in the innings.

Watch the video here;

Ollie Pope 🤝 DRS

🇮🇳 1️⃣0️⃣-1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/VyX4061MvH

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 31, 2025

Ollie Pope took right call to go for DRS

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal is being largely credited to England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope, who made a bold and accurate DRS call despite a poor track record. Before this review, Pope had made 13 unsuccessful referrals as captain, according to OneCricket. Interestingly, even Gus Atkinson, the bowler, wasn’t entirely confident about the appeal, but Pope trusted his instincts and opted for the review. The decision paid off, earning England a crucial early wicket. Pope is leading the side in this Test due to Ben Stokes’ absence, who is out with a shoulder injury.

At the time of Jaiswal’s dismissal, India had reached 33 for 1 within the first ten overs of Day 1. Following the early breakthrough, debutant Sai Sudharsan walked in at number three, aiming to stabilize the innings. He joined KL Rahul at the crease, who was coming off a fluent 90 in the second innings of the fourth Test in Manchester. The new pair had the responsibility to rebuild after the early loss and keep England’s bowlers from gaining further momentum in favorable conditions.

England has made a quick move to strengthen their bowling after a big 336-run defeat to India in the second Test at Edgbaston. With the third Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday, July 10, the England Men's selection panel has added fast bowler Gus Atkinson to the squad. The 27-year-old, who plays for Surrey, is returning after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during England’s win over Zimbabwe in May.

Atkinson's return comes after England's bowlers struggled in Birmingham, where India scored a massive 587 runs in the first innings, with Shubman Gill smashing 269. England gave away more than 1000 runs across two innings, and skipper Ben Stokes admitted it was disappointing. "At 200/5 we were happy," said Stokes. "But we just weren’t able to blast them open. They ended up getting a big first innings total after us having a good start."

Gus Atkinson adds pace to the attack and has done well in domestic cricket, taking 55 wickets in just 12 matches at an average of 22.30, with best figures of 7/45. His inclusion also raises the possibility of him bowling alongside Jofra Archer, who trained with the squad in Birmingham. Archer is being monitored closely as he prepares for a possible return to Test cricket after nearly four years out with injuries.

England Focused on Boosting Bowling for Lord’s Test

With the series tied 1-1, England are hoping to bounce back strongly at Lord’s. They may rest Brydon Carse or Josh Tongue, who have bowled a lot in the first two Tests, as they aim to refresh the bowling attack. Atkinson’s pace and Archer’s return could help the team put up a stronger fight.

See Also: ENG vs IND: 'He Is the Luckiest to Have So Many Caps' – Former England skipper slams Zak Crawley, urges him to learn from Shubman Gill

The squad changes show England’s urgency to find the right balance and regain control of the series at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

England squad for the third Test vs. India:
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes (c), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, and Sam Cook.

England’s squad for the 3rd Test is out! ⚔

Pace boost incoming! #GusAtkinson has been named in England’s 3rd Test squad as they look to strike back hard at Lord's#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST starts THU, JULY 10, 2:30 PM streaming on JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/oPiKDifS2j

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 7, 2025

Just hours after suffering a crushing 336-run defeat at Edgbaston, England have named fast bowler Gus Atkinson in their squad for the third Test against India, set to begin on July 10 at Lord’s. The five-match series is now level at 1-1, and England will be desperate to bounce back at the iconic venue.

Atkinson returns to the Test squad after recovering from a right hamstring injury he picked up during England’s win over Zimbabwe in May. The 27-year-old Surrey pacer has shown great promise in his short Test career, claiming 55 wickets in 12 matches, and even has a century to his name, a rare feat for a fast bowler.

Atkinson Replaces Injured Pacers as Bumrah Returns for Crucial Lord’s Test

His inclusion may be a response to England’s injury and form concerns:

• Brydon Carse is reportedly nursing a toe injury.
• Josh Tongue struggled with rhythm at Edgbaston.
• Jofra Archer is still working towards full-match fitness.

With Atkinson’s pace and ability to extract bounce, he could provide the cutting edge England lacked in the second Test.

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Match Schedule – England vs India Test Series 2025

India Gearing Up With Bumrah Back

India, on the other hand, has confirmed the return of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the Edgbaston Test. His inclusion will add firepower to an already confident Indian side that dominated England with both bat and ball.

With the series finely poised, all eyes will be on Lord’s as England hope their bowling reinforcements can turn the tide in the third Test.

While the hosts India and the visitors England are set for the second T20I at Chennai, which will be played on Saturday (January 25) evening, England are set to make one key change in the playing XI. 

India won the five-match home T20I series opener against England last Wednesday (January 22) night as the hosts thrashed the English team by seven wickets. After the English batters failed, excluding only the skipper Jos Buttler (68), the hosts chased down the 133-run target comfortably in 12.5 overs after losing only three wickets, where the opener scored a firing 79 off 34 balls.

While India are leading this T20I series by 1-0, the visitors England have taken a decision on the playing XI for the Chennai T20I, where they are ready to make one change in the playing XI. 

See Also: ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2024: Surprising Exclusion of Indian, England and Australian Players

Gus Atkinson disappointed in Kolkata T20I

Pacer Gus Atkinson returned to white-ball cricket after more than a year during the last T20I at Kolkata. However, in that game, he had the bowling figures of 2-0-38-0. Indian opener Sanju Samson welcomed him in the white-ball format with 22 runs in the second over of the chase. In that over, Samson recorded 4, 4, 0, 6, 4, and 4 runs. He returned in the 11th over, where he conceded 16 runs, including two fours and one six.

Brydon Carse set to replace Atkinson 

While the right-arm fast bowler Atkinson failed to impress, the right-arm fast bowler Brydon Carse, who is also popular as a bowling all-rounder, is set to replace Atkinson in the Chennai T20I. The 29-year-old Carse has taken six wickets in four T20Is.

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith has been named as the 12th member of the squad for the Chennai T20I. While he has played nine Tests and seven ODIs, he is yet to make his T20I debut. 

England's playing XI for the Chennai T20I

Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (Captain), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. 12th man: Jamie Smith

England has made some changes for the second T20 match against India at Chepauk on January 25, as part of the 5-match series. In the first match in Kolkata, two changes were made to the England team. For this match, Jamie Smith has been included as the 12th man. Jacob Bethel's availability is uncertain due to illness, as he missed Thursday's training session. If he doesn't recover by match day, Jamie Smith could replace him.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: Will Shami Feature in India’s Predicted Playing XI?"

The confirmed change is that Gus Atkinson will replace Brydon Carse for this match. Gus's performance in the first T20 of this series didn't go well, as he gave away 38 runs in just 2 overs. In one over against Sanju Samson, he became expensive. Overall, he only bowled 2 overs and was replaced by Brydon Carse. Now, 29-year-old right-arm fast bowler Brydon Carse is ready to replace him for this match.

Brydon Carse comes in place of Gus Atkinson in England's XI for the 2nd T20I against India at Chepauk 🏏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿#BrydonCarse #GusAtkinson #INDvENG #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/Fy3QZLgXyV

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) January 24, 2025

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Brydon Carse has played 4 T20 matches, taking 6 wickets with a good economy rate of 7.66 and an impressive average of 15.33. He is ready to step in for this match.

From the English side, Jofra Archer was the most impressive in the first T20 match of the series in Kolkata. He bowled 4 overs, giving only 21 runs and taking two important wickets—first Sanju Samson and then Suryakumar Yadav.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Finished—Fans React After He Scored 28 in Ranji 2024-25 Match Against J&K

India vs. England 2nd T20I Probable Playing XI:

India's probable playing XI - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy.

England's probable playing XI - Ben Duckett, Philip Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jamey Smith, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson started the new year in a full mood as he smashed 22 runs in the second over of the chasing in the Kolkata T20I against the English pacer Gus Atkinson. The right-handed batter only dealt with the boundaries in that powerful over. 

Also Watch: Varun Chakravarthy's double put India in strong position

Sanju Samson hit 4,4,6,4,4

Chasing down the 133-run target, Sanju Samson faced all the first 12 balls of the second innings of the match. After scoring one run in the first over of Jofra Archer, Samson welcomed Atkinson with a four as the right-handed opening batter smashed a pull shot to a short delivery. On the next ball, Samson sweetly drove his bat as the ball traveled between cover and mid-off for another four. 

After a dot ball, Samson smashed a sixer over the cover. The opener scored the next two boundaries of the over through the on-side. After guiding the full ball between midwicket and mid-on, he just tucked the last ball for another four to the short fine leg.

4⃣, 4⃣, 6⃣, 4⃣, 4⃣

Dial S for Stunning, Dial S for Sanju Samson 🔥 🔥

Follow The Match ▶️ https://t.co/4jwTIC5zzs#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IamSanjuSamson | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/F6Ras6wYeb

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2025

Sanju Samson is in great form in T20I format

Samson scored 26 off 20 balls before Jofra Archer dismissed him. Before this T20I match, the right-handed batter hit three centuries in the previous five T20I innings. After scoring two back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh (111) at Hyderabad and against South Africa (107) at Durban, Samson scored two consecutive ducks at Gqeberha and Centurion, before his third T20I century in the Johannesburg T20I against South Africa (109*). He became the first batter to record three T20I centuries in a calendar year.  

At the end of the latest Kolkata T20I, the 30-year-old Samson has scored 836 runs in 38 T20I matches (34 innings) with an average of 27.86 and a strike rate of 154.24. Apart from three centuries, the right-handed batter has also recorded two T20I half-centuries.