Mohammed Siraj turned an approaching England victory into an India fantasy in only one high-pressure hour at The Oval. With four wickets remaining and just 35 runs required, a historic comeback was possible.
He delivered. Siraj dismissed Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, and yorked Gus Atkinson to finish with 5/104 in the second innings and nine wickets overall in a Test match for the ages.
The ultimate English collapse: seven wickets for 66 runs—England broke exactly when they appeared to be in control. In their closest-ever Test final, India won by six runs.
The Power of Mohammed Siraj Belief
Siraj’s mental trick was searching “believe” on Google and setting it as his phone background before Day 5. That mantra sparked a performance few expected.
He promised Pujara, “I will change the game.” And change it he did—with quickness, precision, and tenacity all rolled into one memorable spell.
It wasn’t simply statistics; it was heart. That background became a symbol of Siraj’s passion, and it went viral following the match.
Series-Wide Dominance & Drama
This Test closed a 2-2 series, one of the most remarkable ever played: over 7,000 runs, 21 centuries, and play on all 25 days over five Tests.
After Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj led India’s pace bowling unit and brought himself up to par with Jasprit Bumrah at The Oval, taking 23 wickets.
England coach Brendon McCullum declared it “one of the all-time best Test matches,” saying Siraj and India’s dedication were unsurpassed.
Social Buzz & Fan Reactions
On X (Twitter), @BCCI hailed the spell:
Absolutely 𝗡𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 taken by Siraj to make this video! 😎#TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @mdsirajofficial | @arshdeepsinghh pic.twitter.com/qeX2Xl0AQY
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025“A heroic 5️⃣‑for from Mohammed Siraj at The Oval #WTC27”sports.ndtv.com+12The Indian Express+12The Times of India+12
One fan on Instagram shared:
𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗝𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!
Raw Emotions straight after #TeamIndia's special win at the Kennington Oval 🔝#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/vhrfv8ditL
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025“His father must be proud today ❤️” under a celebration reel tagged #INDvENG #OvalTest.The Guardian+6The Indian Express+6Mid-day+6
