New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif called “a big win for India” despite the series ending in a 2-2 draw, India pulled off one of their most sensational Test victories — a six-run triumph in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval. From being written off before the series began to levelling it on the final day with nerves of steel and a clutch bowling effort, this Indian team showcased what Kaif hailed as a triumph “won on the field — not on paper.”

“First of all, I don’t think many people gave this Indian team a chance. They went to England without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin. Shubman Gill was a new captain, and there were questions raised about that, too. Some experts predicted a 3-1 or 4-1 loss. But this Indian team showed that matches are won on the field — not on paper,” Kaif told IANS.

With England needing just 35 runs and India four wickets to force a series-levelling win on Day 5, the stage was set for an epic finale. The clouds loomed over The Oval, and a sold-out crowd added to the drama with every clap, gasp, and groan. On the field, Mohammed Siraj rose to the occasion, delivering what Kaif described as a performance that should make him “the brand ambassador of Test cricket.”

Siraj had dropped Harry Brook on Day 4 — a moment that could’ve haunted him. Instead, it lit a fire. On Day 5, he returned with renewed rhythm and a point to prove. He removed Jamie Smith early, before trapping Jamie Overton LBW with a nip-backer. Prasidh Krishna castled Josh Tongue and kept India in the hunt. And then came the moment: Siraj bowled a perfect yorker to flatten Gus Atkinson’s off stump and clinch a famous win for India, their narrowest ever in Test history.

“There are very few words to describe Siraj,” Kaif said. “He is full of passion. He has skill — swing, yorkers, wickets — but it’s his hunger and intensity that stand out. There’s a lot of talk about workload management these days — four overs here, five overs there — but had Gill followed that, India might’ve lost this match.

Siraj took the ball and just kept going. On Day 5, with the old ball, he got it to swing both ways. To dismiss Jamie Smith with a 75-over old ball — that was special. To clean up Gus Atkinson with a yorker — pure Test-match theatre.”

India’s bowling unit — led by Siraj (5/104) and Prasidh Krishna (4/126) — skittled England’s last four wickets for just 28 runs. But as Kaif reminded, this win wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of India’s batters — particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, who stood tall in testing conditions. “Before I spoke about Siraj, I should have mentioned Jaiswal,” Kaif admitted. “Without his runs, there would’ve been nothing to defend.

His intent in the second innings made all the difference. He left balls outside off, attacked when needed, and played a long innings. This was the toughest pitch of the series — the other four were flat and batting-friendly. But here, the bowlers dominated.

Jaiswal showed that he has the technique and temperament to play in challenging conditions. He’s a big-match player. When the team needed him most, in a must-win game, he delivered.”

Jaiswal’s composed 118 in the second innings had allowed India to set a target of 374 — enough to create pressure on England on a surface offering inconsistent bounce and sharp seam movement. Washington Sundar too played a crucial lower-order knock, and both performances stemmed from a tactical blueprint devised by the team’s head coach. “Gautam Gambhir deserves a lot of credit,” Kaif said. “He had a clear plan: he wanted batting till No. 8.

And because of that, we won two Test matches. At Edgbaston, Jadeja scored down the order. In this match, Washington Sundar made a crucial 50 at No. 9.

Jaiswal also played a key knock. So, the idea of batting deep worked. There were doubts initially, but Gautam proved that decision absolutely right.”

Gambhir’s strategy was only as good as the captain executing it. In Shubman Gill, India seems to have found not just a batsman with flair but a leader with poise and growing maturity. “Gill is learning very quickly as a captain,” Kaif noted. “The way he stayed calm in the final Test, when India were trailing 2-1 and had to win to level the series, was impressive.

Earlier in the series — maybe in the second Test — he had a bit of an argument with Crawley. But then he realised he is a better captain in a calm environment.

He trusted his gut. He said, ‘If I feel someone should bowl a long spell, I will back that instinct.’ And that’s what he did. His batting was solid, too. I believe he will grow a lot as a captain in the future.”

“To finish the series 2-2 might just look like numbers, but I would say this was a big win for India — especially because of how they played the final Test match.”

–IANS

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