Mohammed Siraj put on an exceptional display on the final day at The Oval, playing a crucial role in India’s remarkable fightback to draw the five-Test series 2-2. Inspired by football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Siraj bowled a fiery spell, claiming five wickets and dismantling England’s batting, leaving them searching for answers.

The word “believe” became his mantra. Ronaldo, the former star of Manchester United and Real Madrid, has frequently emphasised the power of self-confidence. His message, particularly the quote “If you don’t believe you are the best, you will never achieve all that you are capable of,” resonated deeply with Siraj. On the final day at The Oval, that belief was transformed into brilliance.

“I feel incredible because we’ve fought relentlessly from day one until now. My strategy was to consistently hit my lines and build pressure. Anything beyond that was a bonus. When I woke up this morning, I knew I could do it. I even downloaded an image from Google that said ‘believe’,” Siraj said after the match.

In a perfect tribute, Siraj replicated Ronaldo’s famous “Siuuu” celebration after claiming the final wicket, paying homage to the football legend who motivated his performance.

Siraj’s outstanding performance received widespread praise on social media, with former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer leading the tributes. “Last man standing. Siraj for me is the real man of the series. The only fast bowler to play all five test with the same intensity in majority batting friendly conditions where all the tests went the distance. Take a bow,” Jaffer wrote.