The Indian cricket team, led by Shubman Gill, captured hearts with their performance in England. In the final match of the five-match Test series at the Oval, Team India turned a losing battle into a victory. The Indian players displayed a remarkable fightback before setbacks, defeating England by 6 runs. This stunning victory sends a message not only to the world but also to the players of Team India. It is a message for those players who begin to consider themselves greater than the team.
The Tendulkar-Anderson Test series will be remembered for numerous reasons. It will be counted among the most thrilling Test series in cricket history. The series will also be remembered for how a losing game was won. This feat was accomplished not just by India but also by England. This series demonstrated that Test cricket is the true form of the game and remains alive. The final day’s result of the 5-match series provided an idea of how exciting the series was.
This series will be known for the players’ love for their country, be it Rishabh Pant or Chris Woakes. Despite a leg injury, Pant came out to bat, while Woakes, even after a broken shoulder, came onto the field to help his country win. This series will also be remembered for Mohammad Siraj’s spirit. The team’s fast bowler was the highest wicket-taker in the series, taking 23 wickets.
Siraj’s Spirit Honored
There were only two fast bowlers from India and England who played all five matches: Chris Woakes of England and Siraj of India. Siraj fought till the end, bowling over 1100 balls. His spirit and performance demonstrated that the term ‘workload management’ did not exist in his vocabulary. A 5-match Test series is lengthy, but Siraj’s performance did not reflect this. He bowled at 146 kmph in England’s fourth innings at the Oval Test, proving that he gave his all in the match.
Siraj, who was about to become the villain by dropping Harry Brook’s catch on the fourth day, became the hero of Team India’s victory by taking 3 of England’s 4 wickets on the fifth day. Every ball of the 31-year-old Siraj seemed full of life. Every ball seemed to be taking wickets. There were sounds of ‘Ooh’ and ‘Aaah’ around the wicket. Looking at Siraj’s run-up and enthusiasm, it didn’t seem like he was playing the fifth match of the series.
Siraj Leads the Pace Attack, Shining
Siraj’s performance becomes even better when he leads Team India’s pace attack. Siraj has played 25 Test matches with Jasprit Bumrah, in which he has taken 64 wickets. Of these, Team India won 10 matches and lost 11, while 4 matches were drawn. Without Bumrah, Siraj played 16 matches, taking 49 wickets. During this time, Team India won 12 matches and lost only 3. 1 match was drawn.
Slap in the Face for Star Players
His spirit and performance are a slap in the face for those star players who talk about workload management. Can any player be above the team? Is it right to talk about workload and not play matches when the team is in trouble? Is Siraj not a big enough star to decide how many Tests he should play in a series?
Imagine what would have happened if Siraj hadn’t played the last match due to workload concerns. This is the same Siraj who played a Test series abroad even after his father’s death. When he went on the Australia tour, his father passed away. He could not even attend his funeral. Then-team captain Virat Kohli supported Siraj. Siraj himself has mentioned this several times.
Siraj, through his performance, and Team India, through their victory, have proven that no player is bigger than the team. You are celebrated as long as you play. Especially if you are a great player and not in the team for some reason, you will be remembered in defeat, but forgotten in victory. Thus, the victory of Team India is a message for those players who start considering themselves very big and bigger than the team.