New India script a miracle at Oval

On Monday morning, when England needed just 35 runs to win the series with 4 wickets to go, Siraj woke up, googled Cristiano Ronaldo image with 'Believe' written on it and pasted it on his phone's screen

- SANDEEP DWIVEDI

MOHAMMED SIRAJ, THE tireless warrior, would run in to bowl the first ball of his 186th over of this series like the wind. His strides had the enthusiasm and energy of a child running to the playground after the school bell. England were a hit away to win the series 3-1, a six was all they needed. The last fully-fit batsman standing, Gus Atkinson, swung his bat all right, but Siraj's match-changing deadly yorker would blow the off-stump—and also England's hopes.

In India's cricket folklore, Siraj's yorker could rank with MS Dhoni's six that won India the 2011 World Cup. His strike had given a logical end to the series. India's 6-run win ended the contest 2-2—nothing could have been more apt for this epic see-saw battle of fine margins where neither team gave up. There was sweat, blood and broken bones, but no sign of the will backing down.

On the morning of the fifth day, when England needed just 35 runs to win the series with four wickets to go, Siraj woke up at 6 am, googled Cristiano Ronaldo image with 'Believe' written on it, downloaded it and pasted it on his phone's screen. He would take the message to the ground, to take three of those wickets to finish with figures of 5/104 and win the Man of the Match award.