India secured a nerve-jangling, six-run victory over England in a staggering finish at The Kia Oval – which included Chris Woakes heading out to bat with his arm in a sling – as the series ended 2-2 after six weeks of pulsating Test cricket.
Mohammed Siraj, fittingly, cleaned up Gus Atkinson (17) to seal India’s win in the fifth Test, snaring his 23rd wicket of the series as England were all out for 367 while trying to pull off their second-highest chase in the format of 374.
The stricken Woakes, who suffered a suspected left shoulder dislocation fielding on the first evening and now seems likely to miss The Ashes, came out at No 11 after England lost their ninth wicket with 17 runs required, but did not face a ball as Atkinson hogged strike.
The cheers from England fans after Atkinson had clipped Prasidh Krishna to long-on for one at the end of the 85th over, were replaced by wild India celebrations a delivery later when Siraj clattered Atkinson’s stumps.
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The moment would have been all the sweeter for Siraj after he failed to catch Harry Brook on 19 on day four- treading on the boundary cushion at deep fine leg after pouching the ball – with Brook (111) and Joe Root (105) subsequently taking England to 301-3 with a fourth-wicket stand of 195.
However, India’s quicks fought back that evening, getting the old ball to talk under leaden skies and in front of a raucous away support, with England closing on 339-6 and Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton given a thorough working over before rain.
A drama-laced, final-morning finish looked guaranteed and duly transpired with Overton (9) striking the first two balls for four to cut England’s ask to 27 before the tireless Siraj nicked off Smith and pinned Overton lbw – England eight down with 20 needed.
Every ball became an event – lbw shouts here, deliveries fizzing past edges there – and when Prasidh Krishna then castled Josh Tongue (0), Woakes made his brave entrance.
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Atkinson whittled the requirement down to 11 as Akash Deep tipped his leg-side heave over the rope at deep midwicket for six but he was then poleaxed by Siraj without the need for the second new ball.
It was a remarkable end to a sensational series that featured outstanding individual performances, gripping games – all of which went to a fifth day – and oodles of needle.
Zak Crawley’s third-evening time-wasting in the third Test at Lord’s was the catalyst for notable rancour between the sides, animosity that spilled over into the fourth match in Manchester and finale in south London with spicy send-offs and verbal exchanges.
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In the end, though, India kept their cool, condemning England to defeat in the final Test of a series for the fourth time in a row, after closing losses to Sri Lanka at home last summer and in Pakistan and New Zealand over the winter.
England remain without a series win in a contest of five matches since drubbing India 4-1 at home in 2018, a run they will hope to snap when they travel to Australia for The Ashes this winter, with the barbs already started by ex-Australia opener David Warner.
England still have questions to answer before then, perhaps most pressingly who their spinner will be, but will head down under with real optimism for the first time in quite a while, partly due to shakiness in Australia’s batting line-up
Now, though, is the time to champion India.