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"Put Word Believe As Wallpaper": Siraj Sums Up Thrilling Oval Test After Heroic Fightback

Akshita Patel

Mohammed Siraj soaks in winning moment [Source: AFP]Mohammed Siraj soaks in winning moment [Source: AFP]

Mohammed Siraj was elated and emotional after India secured a historic victory in the fifth Test against England held at The Oval. He nailed 3 out of 4 wickets on the final day and summed up his experience of the 5-game rigorous series.

Siraj has been an absolute workhorse for the Indian Test team, as he played all five Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Without giving a thought about workload, he kept bowling like a machine and reaped the rewards of his hard work.

On Day 5 of the Oval Test, Siraj scalped 3 wickets and grabbed a five-wicket-haul to guide India to a thrilling 6-run victory.

Mohammed Siraj Reveals The One Word That Changed Everything

In the post-match interview, Mohammed Siraj was radiating emotions and pride. He disclosed that his bowling plan was surprisingly uncomplicated, as he concentrated on finding the right areas and allowing the pitch to do the rest.

"To be honest, I feel so amazing. Everyone thought from day 1 till this moment, we will fight hard. I am very happy. My plan was simple, to keep it simple. Hit the right areas, I knew it will work and the result is there for everyone to see. If I get a wicket, it will be bonus for me. Just wanted to keep it tight," Siraj said as quoted by CREX.

But what truly struck fans was his powerful mental preparation. He kept believing that the match could be turned around despite England needing just 35 runs to win on Day 5 with 4 wickets in hand.

"When I woke up today, I thought I can do it. I had the belief. I put an image of something with the word believe in it and put it as my wallpaper. I enjoyed it a lot," he added.

Siraj Recalls Heartbreaking Dropped Chance Of Harry Brook

Despite his heroics, Mohammed Siraj owned up to a big moment that could have sealed the match earlier, his dropped catch of Harry Brook. He opined that had he been more vigilant on the boundary, India could’ve sealed a win on Day 4 itself.

"(On his dropped catch of Brooks) That was a game-changing moment, because if I had taken that catch, the match would have been over by now. Hats off to Harry Brook for playing like that."

The emotional peak of the interview came when Siraj reflected on playing at Lord’s. Batting with Ravindra Jadeja for the final wicket, Siraj got bowled in an unusual fashion, and India lost the game by 22 runs. But despite the heartbreak, Jadeja encouraged Siraj to move on.

"(On Lord's ) It is a very heartbreaking moment. Jaddu bhai was telling me to play as much as possible with the bat. Think of your father, how hard you have worked to get here.  (On getting a promotion in his rank in Hyderabad Police) I don't know (chuckles)," Siraj concluded.

With that heroic effort at The Oval, Mohammed Siraj ended the hard-fought series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 dismissals. He bowled over 160 overs and embraced the responsibility of leading the pace attack.

Siraj’s relentless effort indeed played a huge role in how India levelled the 5-game series.