"He deserved to get that final wicket"- Former captain makes big statement on Mohammed Siraj's performance on Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj deserved to take the last wicket on Day 5 of the Oval Test. The 31-year-old removed Gus Atkinson for 17 to bowl England out for 367 and clinch a memorable six-run win for the tourists and level the five-Test series 2-2.

The Hyderabad fast bowler got three out of the four wickets on the final day on Monday, August 4, to seal a thrilling win for India. Speaking on Sky Sports Cricket, Hussain said:

"It was an incredible series. It wasn't just today. It wasn't like four boring games and then we had a little thrilling climax to it all. We will wake up tomorrow, and we will go, 'Oh, we haven't got any India-England left in the Test series.' That has just been an incredible story. Different conditions, different pitches and you have to be honest, it would have been a travesty if England had gone 3-1. India deserved to be 2-2 for the amount of good cricket they have played in this series. "The final scoreline was well and truly deserved by India, 2-2, and it was very fitting that Mohammed Siraj was the man to get that final wicket. He has bowled his heart out. He had that traumatic moment here on the boundary. He had that traumatic moment at Lords. He deserved to get that final wicket."

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on Siraj, referring to him as 'an absolute warrior' for the way he had bowled in the series. He also stressed how the pacer valued Test cricket and did the 'donkey's work' right through the tour. Karthik said on Sky Sports:

"Batters get a lot of credit because they have a lot more screen time and they score boundaries. That's what comes in highlights. Sometimes, you tend not to look at the bowlers because they'll have three moments on a good day. On a very rare day, five moments. But the fact is that what Siraj has done here. It is not just today. He's walked in today, wanting to be the man to do it. He said he had a screenshot of a wallpaper saying, 'believe'." "And that says how much it means to him in Test cricket. He has bowled like an absolute warrior. He has done the donkey's work for five Test matches. Every time they needed a spell, he has come in and bowled at 85 and 86 mph, and today he hit 90 mph. Couldn't be more proud of him as a bowler. He's worked hard and he values Test cricket and that is why this win is so important," he added.

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Dinesh Karthik calls for more backing for Mohammed Siraj on a bad day for the bowler

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik called for the critics and the watching public not to be overtly critical of Mohammed Siraj when he had a bad day. The 40-year-old said that Siraj valued Test cricket immensely and needed a lot more appreciation for his efforts.

"What is important in a Test series like this? Somebody on the last day, walking in, wanting to make the country proud. You have got to value that on a bad day for him. When you evaluate him on a bad day, you actually cut him some slack because what he's done here is special. Level the series 2-2. Siraj is a bowler who from the start of his career has said, 'I value Test cricket the most' and I really hope people appreciate that in the long run because it's fantastic to see him what he did," Karthik said.

Siraj emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the series, with 23 scalps in five Tests. He took nine wickets in the fifth and final Test and deservedly won the Player of the match award for his performance.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava