Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj claimed five wickets as India beat England by six runs in a tense finish to the fifth Test at The Oval on Sunday, levelling the five-match series 2-2.
England, chasing 402 for victory, resumed the final day on 339-6, needing 35 runs to win with four wickets in hand. Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who took four wickets, combined to bowl the hosts out for 367 in 85.1 overs.
Siraj finished with figures of 5-104, removing Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton and Gus Atkinson on the final morning, while Krishna dismissed Josh Tongue with a yorker to put India on the brink of victory.
Atkinson, who had earlier survived a dropped catch, was the last man out, bowled by Siraj while attempting to retain the strike with Chris Woakes at the non-striker’s end. Woakes, who came in with his left arm in a sling, did not face a ball.
The six-run win is India’s narrowest by runs in Test cricket and ends a closely contested series on level terms.
England’s second innings featured centuries from Harry Brook (111) and Joe Root (105), but their efforts were not enough to secure a series win.
India posted 224 and 396 in their two innings, while England managed 247 and 367.
Brief scores:
India 224 & 396 beat England 247 & 367 all out in 85.1 overs (Brook 111, Root 105; Siraj 5-104, Krishna 4-126) by six runs.
