ENG vs IND: "We only believe in Siraj bhai"- Shubman Gill hails Mohammed Siraj after match-winning spell in The Oval test

Mohammed Siraj won Player of the Match award in The Oval test.

Indian skipper Shubman Gill hailed Mohammed Siraj after the fast bowler helped the team win The Oval test. The pacer bagged a five-wicket haul in the second innings to snatch a thrilling victory for India by just six runs. England were bowled out for 367 runs in the second innings while chasing a target of 374 runs.

Siraj picked a total of nine wickets in the encounter, clinching four wickets in the first innings and five more in the second. The 31-year-old won Player of the Match award for his spectacular performance. After being asked to bat first, India piled up 224/10 in the first innings. Later, England posted 247/10 to gain a 23-run lead.

Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed a century in the second innings to power India to 396/10, setting a 374-run target for the hosts. Harry Brook and Joe Root hammered centuries during the chase; however, India defended 35 runs on day five to eventually grab a dramatic victory.

We only believe in Siraj bhai – Shubman Gill

During the post-match press conference, Gill said that the team has a lot of belief in Siraj. He also added that Siraj’s respect in the dressing room would not have been affected even if India lost the Oval test.

“I’ve said it before too, that we only believe in Siraj bhai. The kind of effort he has put in, even if we had lost the match, definitely the mood would’ve been low, but the respect he has in the dressing room would not have been affected. One moment would not have defined his respect, which he has worked hard to earn in the last 4-5 years,” he said.

With India’s victory in the Oval test, the five-match test series ended in a 2-2 draw. Earlier, England won the first test by five wickets and the third test by 22 runs. India clinched a victory in the second test by 336 runs, while the fourth test ended in a draw.

Gill and Brook won Player of the Series awards. The Indian skipper mustered 754 runs across 10 innings in the series to finish as the highest run-scorer and break plenty of batting records. Siraj finished the series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps across five encounters.

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