India creates history at Oval, beats England by 6 runs to level series at 2-2

New Delhi: As soon as Mohammed Siraj dismissed Gus Atkinson, the entire ground erupted in joy. Indian players rushed to Siraj, and Dhruv Jurel was the first to reach and hug him. Teammates came running from all directions — it was a celebration of a historic victory. Captain Shubman Gill also saluted the courage of opposition player Chris Woakes, who batted with one hand despite an injured shoulder and remained on the field. Woakes’ one hand tucked inside his sweater and the bat in the other — this scene will be remembered forever in cricket history.

India took a full victory lap at the Oval, and Siraj soaked in every moment with the ball in hand amid loud cheers and slogans from the crowd. On the very first ball of the 85th over — after more than 1000 deliveries in the series — he delivered a sensational yorker that crashed into the stumps. Atkinson tried to play it towards square but couldn’t even connect. Siraj raised both arms and looked to the sky.  This victory became a story of India’s passion, spirit, and a remarkable comeback.

Struggle of Indian Batters in the First Innings

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, India managed 224 runs in their first innings. The start was poor, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (2) and KL Rahul (14) falling cheaply. Karun Nair top-scored with 57, while Sai Sudharsan added 38 and Ravindra Jadeja 31. For England, Gus Atkinson wreaked havoc with 5 wickets, and Josh Tongue chipped in with 3.