Mohammed Siraj scripts history in Oval Test, breaks 54-year-old record
What's the story
Mohammed Siraj made history by registering the best match figures by an Indian at The Oval. He achieved this feat during India's thrilling six-run victory over England in the fifth and final Test of the series. Siraj's performance was instrumental in helping India level the series 2-2, with his overall match figures of 9/190, including 5/104 in the second innings, earning him the 'Player of the Match' award.
Record-breaking performance
Siraj surpasses Chandrasekhar's record from 1971
Siraj's match figures of 9/190 surpassed the previous best by an Indian at The Oval, which was Bhagwat Chandrasekhar's 8-114 during India's famous 1971 victory. This is also the fifth-best bowling figures by an Indian in England. Siraj's performance is also the best by any bowler at The Oval since Shane Warne in 2005. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna, who claimed twin four-fers in the aforementioned fifth Test, is the only other Indian with at least eight wickets in an Oval Test.
Bowling prowess
Siraj equals Bumrah in this list
Siraj ended the series with 23 wickets, matching Jasprit Bumrah for most wickets in a Test series against England. His overall wicket tally in England has now reached 46 scalps in 11 innings at an average of 33.21, including two five-wicket hauls. This makes him the third Indian bowler with most wickets in England, behind Bumrah and Ishant Sharma (51 each).
Match dynamics
India's 2nd innings and the match's turning point
In India's second innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal (118), Akash Deep (66), Ravindra Jadeja (53) and Washington Sundar (53) made key contributions. Their efforts helped India post a total of 396/10, setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series. Despite a strong start by England with centuries from Harry Brook (111) and Joe Root (105), Siraj and Krishna's late surge shifted the pressure back on them.