Mohammed Siraj once again rose to the occasion as he dismantled England’s batting line-up on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at The Oval. The fiery Indian pacer wrapped up England’s innings in style by castling Harry Brook, who had looked set on 53 from 64 deliveries.
Despite a shaky start to his spell, where England’s top order took the attack to him under overcast skies, Siraj showcased his trademark resilience. With Jasprit Bumrah rested for the final Test, the onus was on Siraj to lead India’s pace attack—and he delivered brilliantly. His comeback began with a crucial breakthrough, trapping Ollie Pope LBW after a tight review call. He followed it up by removing Joe Root during a heated phase of play that saw Root exchange words with Prasidh Krishna, intensifying the drama on the field.
WATCH – KL Rahul in Fiery Exchange With Umpire Kumar Dharmasena After Prasidh-Root Spat
Siraj’s rhythm only improved as he then dismissed debutant Jacob Bethell before producing the moment of the innings—sending Brook’s off-stump flying with a delivery that nipped in off a short length. Brook’s dismissal not only ended England’s innings at 247 but also tilted the momentum in India’s favour heading into the second innings.
𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐉! 🔥
With 18 wickets, #MohammedSiraj is now the highest wicket-taker in this series so far! 👏#ENGvIND 👉 5th TEST, DAY 2 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/TY23MOyDXC pic.twitter.com/LOvuXXv8QP
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) August 1, 2025
With figures of 4/86 from 16.2 overs, Mohammed Siraj ended the day as the standout performer and now leads the wicket-taking charts in the series with 18 scalps. In doing so, he overtook England captain Ben Stokes, who had 17 wickets before injury sidelined him from the final Test.
WATCH – Joe Root and Prasidh Krishna Clash In Heated Exchange During Fifth Test at The Oval
Mohammed Siraj’s fiery spells have been the backbone of India’s bowling effort throughout this gripping series, and his ability to bounce back under pressure continues to underline his growing stature in Test cricket.
