India sealed a thrilling six-run win against England in the final Test at The Oval. The tension was high on Day 5, as India needed four wickets and England just 35 runs. In a strange twist, a half-injured Chris Woakes had to come out and bat.
Siraj and Gill’s Plan Against Atkinson Goes Wrong
England’s Gus Atkinson was doing his best to shield Woakes, who had a dislocated shoulder, by taking a single on the final ball of every over. Siraj and Gill came up with a plan to stop this. Their idea was to bowl a wide yorker and go for a run-out.
Siraj delivered the ball as planned, and Atkinson missed it. However, he still managed to run a single because India’s wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel couldn’t hit the stumps. This allowed Woakes to avoid the strike, which frustrated the Indian side. The fielding miss made things tense in the middle.
Gill explained later that Siraj had wanted Jurel to take off his gloves to make the run-out easier. But before the message could reach the keeper, it was already too late. The missed chance led to a heated moment between Siraj and Gill during the game.
Gill Opens Up About the On-Field Miscommunication
“He (Siraj) had told me to ask Dhruv Jurel to remove his gloves for the run-out,” said Gill. But the delay in communication led to the mistake. “Jab tak maine Dhruv ko bola, ye bhagne lag gaya aur usko time nahi mila. Toh usne miss kardi and isne mujhe bola, ‘Tune bola kyu nahi?’,” Gill shared.
According to Gill, Siraj was already on his way to bowl when he managed to pass on the message, leaving Jurel with no time to react. The missed chance added pressure as England looked to inch closer to victory.
Siraj Delivers the Final Blow for India
Even after that mistake, Siraj not get upset much. In 86th over, he came back and bowled Atkinson out on first ball. That ball give India the win and match finished in very exciting way.
Funny thing, Jurel was first who run to Siraj to celebrate. This win ended the close Test series and make it 2-2 draw with England. Even Siraj and Gill had some angry moment, India still win the match in the end.
