‘It had to be Mohammed Siraj’ – Ex-England skipper on India’s fightback in Oval classic | Cricket News
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said it would have been a travesty if England had won the Test series 3-1 and added that Mohammed Siraj taking the final wicket was a fitting end to an exhilarating series.“The final scoreline was well and truly deserved by India, and it was very fitting for Siraj to get the final wicket,” Hussain told Sky Cricket.“It would have been a travesty had England won the series 3-1. India deserved to make it 2-2 for the amount of good cricket they’ve played in this series.”The tireless Mohammed Siraj’s warrior spirit steered India to a series-levelling six-run victory over England in the fifth and final Test on Monday, bringing a fitting end to one of the most intensely fought and drama-filled contests in recent memory.With four wickets in hand and just 35 runs to get, England held the edge at the start of the final day. But the gladiator in Siraj made life miserable for the opposition batters from the very first ball.
In the end, his fiery effort—well supported by Prasidh Krishna at the other end—left England short by the narrowest of margins and allowed India to sign off with a 2-2 draw in the high-pressure five-match series.The decision to call off play early on Day 4, following a brief spell of rain, drew criticism from the likes of Stuart Broad and Michael Vaughan. However, it seemed fitting that the decider extended into the final day, with both teams battling tooth and nail until the very end.With all five Tests going into the final day, Hussain also highlighted why the “Big Three” — India, Australia, and England — must safeguard the future of Test cricket.
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“Why do people knock this format? It’s just so wonderful. But I’m afraid other countries don’t have the luxuries that England, India, and Australia enjoy,” Hussain said.“The crowds throughout the whole series were incredible — pretty much sold out every day. Even today, there was a sell-out crowd for just 40 minutes of play.“Not every country has that privilege, so England, India, and Australia must keep an eye on the future of Test match cricket. If we let this go, we’re doing the game a disservice. We need to keep pushing it forward,” he added.
