India edged past England by six runs in a nail-biting finale of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, leveling the five-match series 2-2. Mohammed Siraj was the star of the show, claiming three of the final four wickets to secure the win. His match-winning yorker to dismiss Gus Atkinson sealed the contest and sparked celebrations in the Indian camp.
England needed just 35 runs on the final day with four wickets in hand. Jamie Overton started strong, slashing boundaries off Prasidh Krishna. But Siraj’s fiery spell turned the game in India’s favor, wrapping up a phenomenal Test series.
Despite the high-stakes conclusion and the prestige of the newly-named Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, neither James Anderson nor Sachin Tendulkar attended the post-match presentation. Their absence raised questions, especially as both had been present during the official launch of the trophy in June. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has not issued any statement on the matter. Additionally, no members of the Pataudi family were seen presenting the Pataudi Medal to Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes.
Siraj’s Redemption After Day 4 Drop
Siraj ended the series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps, including nine in the final Test. His performance was even more significant given his dropped catch of Harry Brook on Day 4, which allowed the batter to score 111 runs.
The fast bowler later revealed he was restless after the drop and couldn’t sleep. However, he turned his disappointment into motivation. “When I woke up, I told myself I would change the game,” said Siraj, who even put a ‘believe’ wallpaper on his phone for inspiration.
From heartbreak at Lord’s to heroics at The Oval, Siraj’s journey in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was a reflection of determination, resilience, and redemption even if the legends it was named after were not there to witness the final act.
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