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India repelled England and Chris Woakes’ heroics to produce an exhilarating day-five blitz to snatch a six-run victory in the fifth Test and a series draw at a raucous Oval.
After a combination of rain and bad light sent this gripping series into Monday, the drama came to a boil across an absorbing morning with bowlers Mohammed Siraj, the player of the match after a memorable five-wicket haul, and Prasidh Krishna, providing a spark as the ball hooped around corners.
It ended with Gus Atkinson shielding Woakes, batting with a sling with one arm tucked inside his jumper. But Siraj, clasping the ball long after cleaning out Atkinson to complete the win off the back of 5-104, conjured a spell of breathtaking speed and variety. The maverick bowler rebounded after squandering a chance to dismiss Harry Brook before his marvellous century, sealing a win for his country and the thousands of delirious India fans in south London and the start of a new era.
“It means absolutely everything,” said KL Rahul. “I’ve seen India win the World Cup, nothing compares, but so many doubts, so many questions from everyone if Test cricket would stay or not, I think we have answered that question. A team that was not given a chance in this series, it might seem like a draw, but I think for India, it will rank right at the top. This is where the change begins.”
If the equation appeared simple enough, with England chasing 35 runs more for victory in the Test and series, and India desperately searching for four wickets, with one of those the one-armed Chris Woakes, to earn a draw, then the margins narrowed yet further.
Krishna raced in to complete his over from last night, with dark clouds providing a gloomy backdrop, and Jamie Overton clattered him for four to ease some nerves.
But that was as comfortable as England would be for the next half an hour, as the Indian seamer almost produced the perfect response. Overton almost dragged on with the ball racing to the boundary off the inside edge for four more precious runs.
But if India started on the backfoot, then Mohammed Siraj, so often the villain throughout this absorbing series packed with needle, brought a counter-punch, superbly tempting Jamie Smith into a narrow miss with a lazy waft. His respite would not last. A belated walk after the next ball, feathering one to Dhruv Jurel, with the review eventually revitalising Indian hopes.
Siraj was wheeling away a moment later with his next ball, as Gus Atkinson nicked to KL Rahul. But the fielder couldn’t squeeze his fingers under the ball, the agony of the ball pressing them into the turf. An extraordinary over underlined the reality of how this game is defined by inches.
Two overs down and nails shortening by the minute.
Atkinson then nailed one off Prasidh through the offside, but the lightning Ravindra Jadeja scurried to the boundary to save one run.
Siraj then trapped Overton lbw with Kumar Dharmasena’s belated decision sparking wild celebrations as India moved to the brink of victory. The review showed no bat involved, with the ball glancing leg stump. From 22 balls, two wickets and a boundary.
Krishna then removed Josh Tongue, another long wait, tension simmering. The review was emphatic and was demanded immediately. Tracker revealed the ball gliding down the leg side. Respite for England, but not for long. Krishna begged his captain for another review a ball later, but Gill resisted.
The drama was dipping a little, but Krishna brought it to a boil, cleaning out Tongue to send stumps sprawling. It brought out the wounded Woakes, with his left arm tucked inside his jumper, with 17 runs still needed. A remarkable image to conclude a remarkable series.
If the principles of Bazball were discarded, then Atkinson provided a telling reminder with a muscular heave to cow-corner, with Akash Deep tipping it over the boundary for a huge maximum. An opportunity to grab a single, with 11 runs needed, was then predictably rebutted, with Woakes a mere spectator at the other end.
Siraj then bowled to avoid the quick single, but Atkinson dashed to the non-striker’s end, forcing Woakes to desperately lunge to get off strike. He did so, arms jiggling, a grimace on his face as Jurel rolled the ball inches past the stumps. A move that brought regret and a discarded glove from the wicketkeeper soon after.
Atkinson clubbed two more to the cow corner boundary to bring the target down to single figures. Then he managed to dink one more off Krishna to delay India’s shot at Woakes a little longer. It mattered little as Siraj produced a beauty to smash Atkinson’s stumps in the most emphatic end to a series in recent memory.
