Mohammed Siraj bounced back in remarkable fashion to deliver a match-winning performance, claiming five wickets and guiding India to a sensational victory over England in the final Test at The Oval. Despite a costly dropped catch earlier in the innings, Siraj remained unfazed and proved to be the game-changer as India squared the series 2-2 in dramatic style.

At the close of Day 4, with England needing just 37 runs and seven wickets in hand, few would have predicted the stunning twist to come.

But Siraj and Prasidh Krishna had other ideas. The pair dismantled the English middle and lower order in a blistering morning session, sharing nine wickets between them—Siraj grabbing five and Krishna four—to pull off one of India’s greatest Test comebacks.

"When I woke up today I believed that I could do it. It took a photo from Google and put it as my wallpaper that I could do it. If I had taken that (Brook) catch properly probably we may not have had to come today.

"But Brook played really well. It was a heart-breaking moment. He was just telling me to middle the ball. Remember you Father and the hardwork you have put in to get here," Siraj said after pulling off one of India’s greatest Test comebacks.

Speaking after the win, Siraj revealed his mindset. “I just focused on hitting the right areas. Wickets or runs didn’t matter to me. I knew if I stuck to my plans, something could happen. That catch—I wasn’t even sure I touched the cushion, but it turned the match,” he said, referring to a crucial diving effort near the boundary.

Earlier, Siraj had dropped Harry Brook early in his innings, a miss that nearly proved costly as Brook partnered with Joe Root to push England to 301/3.

Siraj described Brook’s batting as dangerous but remained confident of a turnaround: “Brook went into T20 mode, and it looked like we were out of the game. But I kept telling myself, ‘We can still win this.’”

Siraj finished the series as the highest wicket-taker, claiming 23 wickets at an average of 32. With Jasprit Bumrah sidelined, the Hyderabad pacer stepped up when it mattered most, showcasing resilience and skill to become India’s bowling spearhead in the series.