(Image source from: x.com/BCCI)

A damp and cloudy morning in South London, with a large audience at the Kia Oval, and 53 of the most remarkable balls ever bowled in Test-match history, all leading to the long-awaited triumph of Mohammed Siraj, whose impressive five wickets outshone an equally brave but different effort from Chris Woakes of England, who was not fully fit. This match brought one of the most thrilling endings in Test history. Exactly two decades ago, on this same date, the famous Edgbaston Ashes Test of 2005 began, but even that match’s nail-biting two-run outcome seemed minor compared to the gripping drama of just one hour of play on this, the 25th and final day of another legendary Test series. When it was all over, India celebrated their narrowest victory in Test history, winning by six runs. Their players took a victory lap in front of cheering supporters, smiles glowing on their exhausted faces, knowing they had truly earned every bit of praise.

This dramatic finish was brought about by the wild thunderstorm that had cut the fourth day short, which arguably helped England at that moment since Siraj had found his rhythm and was fighting hard to bring the match back in India’s favor after Harry Brook and Joe Root, at one point, seemed poised to chase down a target of 373 runs. With one last push of the heavy roller before the game resumed, and with Siraj and his important teammate Prasidh Krishna possibly returning to play with a sense of reckless energy, England might have seemed favored when the game started up again, needing just 35 runs with three and a half wickets still left. When Jamie Overton hit two fours off Krishna’s first two deliveries of the day—one of which was rather lucky, sneaking past his leg stump—the situation looked like it might end quickly.

However, Siraj wasn’t going to let this chance slip away. Among all the amazing moments over five thrilling Tests, nothing had the potential to leave a stronger impact than his disappointed face-palm at deep fine leg on the fourth afternoon, when he accidentally stepped on the boundary line and turned a standard catch from Brook into a game-changing six. Along with his tough luck with the bat during a similarly tight finish at Lord’s, this moment brought out Siraj's determination even more. He was set on making things right throughout his exhausting 30.1-over effort, and the winning moment was truly remarkable. It came with a perfectly placed yorker that took out Gus Atkinson’s off stump just as he swung hard once again—aware that Woakes could only be present and couldn’t do much more—but that was just the beginning of the intense drama that followed.