25 days of unyielding cricket. A series that swung like a pendulum — full of drama, grit, heartbreaks, and heroics. Fans rode a rollercoaster of emotions, leaning from hope to despair and back, match after match. The recently concluded Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy had it all — tension, thrill, and a poetic 2-2 finish.
If there’s ever a blueprint for the perfect Test series, this might just be it.
It wasn’t just about bat versus ball.
It was about body versus pain. It was a series that took a toll on everyone — Bumrah playing just three Tests, Pant bravely walking out with a fractured toe, Woakes bowling with a slinged arm. Injuries became as much a part of the narrative as the cricket itself. Everyone, at some point, went down. Everyone — except one man.
Mohammed Siraj stood like a pillar through it all. Never out of the fight, never backing down.
Ball after ball, spell after spell, day after day — Siraj was there, breathing fire. And fittingly, it was he who had the final say, the last word in a series that will be talked about for years. When the dust settled, it was Siraj’s roar that echoed loudest.
Siraj’s Storm at Edgbaston: The Turning Point
After a tough loss at Headingley and England’s audacious 371-run chase in the first Test, doubts were everywhere. Questions swirled around India’s bowling unit — the absence of Bumrah only deepened the concern. Streets around Edgbaston echoed with one worry: How will India take 20 wickets? Who’s going to lead this attack? Can Siraj hold the fort alone? Come Day 3 of the second Test, Siraj answered — not with words, but with fire.
In one sensational over, he removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes off consecutive deliveries, shattering England’s backbone and tilting the game India’s way. He didn’t stop there. Finishing with figures of 6 wickets in the first innings, Siraj handed India a crucial 180-run lead — the foundation of a thumping comeback win.
That spell wasn’t just about wickets. It was a statement — that India still had firepower, and at the heart of it stood Mohammed Siraj.
The Heartbreak at Lord’s: Siraj’s Silent Roar
Siraj was like a magnet throughout the series — always in the thick of it. Be it game-changing spells, heated exchanges, or crucial turning points, he found himself right at the centre. But his most dramatic moment didn’t come with the ball. It came with the bat — on a tense final day at Lord’s. With India staring at defeat, Siraj walked in at No. 11 and joined Jadeja in what would become a gritty, emotionally charged stand. Over nearly two hours and 15 overs, the pair fought tooth and nail, dragging India from the brink and offering hope of an unforgettable escape.
Siraj, known more for his aggression than defence, displayed incredible composure — until fate intervened.
He dug out a delivery with a solid defence, only for the ball to spin off a rough patch, trickle back onto the stumps, and dislodge the bails. England erupted in celebration, sealing a 22- run win.
Siraj, devastated, sank to his haunches — bat smashed in frustration, emotions laid bare beside a stunned Jadeja. It wasn’t just a loss. It was heartbreak scripted by destiny. Siraj gave it everything — and came within inches of rewriting Indian cricket folklore.
Final Push at The Oval: Siraj’s Reward for Relentlessness
As the series edged into its final chapter, fatigue loomed large. Every Test had gone the full five days, every pitch tilted in favour of batters, and bowlers were hanging by threads. In the chaos of run-fests and flat tracks, only two pacers consistently stood tall — Chris Woakes for England and Mohammed Siraj for India.
But as luck would have it, Woakes bowed out injured after Day 1 of the final Test. Siraj, however, still had fuel left in the tank — more than anyone could have imagined. On a spicy Oval surface that finally offered something for the seamers, Siraj came charging in, spell after spell, relentless as ever. It was as if he’d been waiting — patient through all the unresponsive pitches — for this moment. And when it arrived, he made it count.
23 wickets across the series, over 185 overs bowled, and not one delivery that lacked intent.
Every ball he ran in for was dipped in effort, emotion, and an unwavering will to tilt the balance in India’s favour. And then came those final 56 minutes of the series — a blistering spell of high-octane pace and precision. When Siraj shattered Gus Atkinson’s off-stump and followed it up with his trademark “SIUUU” celebration, it was more than just theatre — it was a full-circle moment for a man who had carried India’s attack on his shoulders.
A Cristiano Ronaldo fan to the core, Siraj didn’t just celebrate like his idol — he made people believe like him. Some series give you a winner. This one gave us a warrior.
(image- NDTV.com)
