India clinched a six-run victory in a Test that should never have stretched to Day Five. The Oval finale, dramatic to the end, proved a fitting conclusion to the roller-coaster contest that marked the series.
Here are the five moments that defined the final Test of the inaugural Anderson Tendulkar Trophy series.
Mohammed Siraj drops Brook and fights back
When Harry Brook was not set, he skied a ball to deep square leg and Mohammed Siraj grabbed it. But Siraj stepped on the boundary rope. Face in his palms, Siraj knew what he had done. Brook went on to smash a ton, ending on 111 off 98 balls and it was Siraj who took that catch to get him out. And that is when Siraj ignited again and ended with figures of 5-104 in 30.1 overs.
Siraj has finished as the highest wicket taker in the series and he’s proved that India can survive without Jasprit Bumrah.
Akash Deep fifty
He put a shoulder around the arms of Ben Duckett, the only English batter he managed to dismiss in the first innings. It wasn’t his best showing with the bowl but when Akash Deep walked into bat on Day Three with Yashasvi Jaiswal. No one expected him to hit 12 fours and score 66. If it wasn’t for Akash Deep putting up a fight with the bat then the scores would have looked different.
Chris Woakes Injury
Chris Woakes dislocated his shoulder in an attempt to stop a boundary. England ended up a bowler short. Woakes was meant to lead the bowling attack without the experience of Ben Stokes. England had to switch to plan B from the first session and that was enough for the Indian batters to attack the bowling of Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, who were playing for the first time this series.
Gambhir vs Lee Fortis
On the eve of the Test, England’s coaching staff were allowed a walk on the pitch. When India coach Gautam Gambhir attempted the same, he was turned away.
Gambhir lashed out at groundsman Lee Fortis: “You’re just a pitch curator.” His remarks led to a spirited fight over the next five days.
Fortis, who had the final say on pitch management—including the type of roller to be used—was at the centre of the storm.
On the final day, with India needing four wickets and England 36 runs, the choice of roller became pivotal. Fortis opted for the heaviest one available, which would flatten the surface and favour England’s chase.
But the move backfired. Rather than easing the batting conditions, the heavy roller stirred up the India’s bowlers.
Washington Sundar’s rendition of Bazball
India were down to 9 wickets, with a couple of hours to play to draw Day 3 to a close. Their score? 357, a lead of 334.
A target not good enough to contain a team like England. It was Washington Sundar who got the runs needed. With Prasidh Krishna at the other end, Sundar smashed his way to 53 off 46, with four boundaries and four sixes, showing his skills of hitting after showing his defensive game at Manchester when India fought for a draw.
Sundar’s fifty took India to the score they needed, one six less and the match would have gone England’s way.