India secure first Test series draw in England since 2007; Siraj’s 9-wicket haul headlines a dramatic comeback in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
India pulled off a sensational series-leveling performance at The Oval, clinching victory in the fifth Test to draw the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2. With a searing yorker that crashed into Gus Atkinson’s stumps, Mohammad Siraj capped off one of India’s most thrilling victories in Test history. England were dismissed for 367, narrowly falling short by just 6 runs — India’s lowest margin of victory by runs in Tests.
After trailing 2-1, the visitors bounced back with a youthful side, sealing their first-ever win in a fifth Test of an away series. It also marked India’s first drawn Test series in England since 2007, capping off a dramatic five-match blockbuster full of historic milestones.
Siraj and Krishna Lead Bowling Charge
With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable for the decider, Siraj stepped up as the series hero. He bagged a stunning 9 wickets in the final match, drawing level with Bumrah’s 23 wickets in England during the 2021–22 series — the joint-most for India in a Test series in England.
Prasidh Krishna, playing his most impactful Test yet, chipped in with 8 wickets at crucial moments. The duo combined to engineer England’s collapse on Day 5 and were central to turning the tide of the match.
“To be honest, it feels amazing,” Siraj told Cricbuzz. “We wanted to fight from Day 1. The plan was simple: bowl in the right areas. I had set a goal, visualised the win every day. Even after that (Brook) missed catch, I believed we’d win.”
A Batting Series for the Ages
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 will be remembered as a batter-dominated epic. According to Cricbuzz, the series delivered:
- Second-most runs aggregated in a Test series: 7,187
- Joint-most 300-plus team totals: 14
- Most batters scoring 400+ runs in a series: 9
- Joint-most 50+ individual scores: 50
- Joint-most centuries in a series: 21
- Joint-most hundred-run partnerships: 19
Shubman Gill, captaining India for the first time in a Test series, emerged as the leading run-scorer, smashing 722 runs in five Tests. He was awarded India’s Player of the Series, while England’s Harry Brook, who racked up 481 runs which includes two hundreds, 99 and a half-century, was named England’s Player of the Series.
“We never gave up,” said Gill. “We trusted our process, especially with bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh. This is a dream debut series as captain. Ending as the top run-scorer was a personal goal — happy I could achieve it.”
A Narrow Miss for England
Despite heading into Day 5 with confidence, England fell short. The margin — just 6 runs — is among the smallest defeat margins by runs in their Test history, as per Cricbuzz:
- 1 run vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2023
- 3 runs vs Australia, Manchester, 1902
- 6 runs vs Australia, Sydney, 1885
- 6 runs vs India, The Oval, 2025
Harry Brook reflected on the narrow loss with a tinge of regret:
“We thought we had it,” Brook said. “The pitch looked flat after the roller. But Siraj was relentless — full credit. It’s been a draining but amazing series. Looking back, maybe I shouldn’t have played that shot, but hindsight is always 20-20.”
The Start of a New Era
This victory marks a symbolic shift in Indian Test cricket. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin having retired, and Bumrah featuring sparingly, India’s young guns proved they are ready to carry the mantle forward.
The depth in batting, the sharpness in bowling, and the calm leadership of Shubman Gill have given Indian fans a taste of a promising future.
Statistical Highlights (Source: Cricbuzz):
6 vs India, The Oval, 2025*
Most wickets for India in a Test series in England:
23 – Jasprit Bumrah (2021–22)
23 – Mohammad Siraj (2025)*
19 – Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2014)
Lowest win margins for India (runs):
6 vs England, The Oval, 2025*
13 vs Australia, Wankhede, 2004
28 vs England, Kolkata, 1972
31 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2018
Lowest defeat margins for England (runs):
1 vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2023
3 vs Australia, Manchester, 1902
6 vs Australia, Sydney, 1885