Gautam Gambhir finally got the breathing space he needed as India’s Test coach after the dramatic Oval victory. India levelled the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 by defeating England by just six runs in the final Test.
On Day 5, England needed 35 runs, and India required four wickets. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna pulled off a miracle. Siraj took three of the final four wickets and ended with a five-wicket haul. He bagged nine wickets in the Oval Test and was rightly awarded Player of the Match.
In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, Siraj led the bowling attack with fire and control.
Gautam Gambhir Credits Team-First Mentality for Victory
After the thrilling win, Gautam Gambhir reacted strongly in a BCCI video: “It’s going to be the ideology of this Test team, where it won’t be about individual-centric, it will be about the team. The way the boys have fought. I’ve always been a big believer that you should always get what you deserve, not what you want. And I think the guys deserved it,” said Gambhir.
Despite winning the Champions Trophy as head coach, Gambhir came under fire for poor Test results. India had earlier lost a Test series at home to New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin retiring, a young side led by Shubman Gill carried huge expectations. But the team showed grit and fought hard throughout the series.
Shubman Gill Delivers as Captain and Star Batter
Shubman Gill emerged as India’s standout batter. He scored 754 runs in the five-match series, including four centuries. He was named India’s Player of the Series.
“I’m feeling very ecstatic and high right now and very happy with the way everyone performed. Very happy with the way everyone contributed throughout the series. Different people stepping in at different moments,” said Gill.
“This is what you want as a captain, and I’m very happy with the way I performed as a batter as well,” he added.
Gill silenced critics who questioned his record in SENA countries with a century in the first innings of the series. His highest score was 269 at Edgbaston, where India won by 336 runs.
KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja also scored over 500 runs each, showcasing India’s depth. The team delivered a strong collective performance, fighting back to draw the series 2-2.
India’s win at The Oval stands as one of the most iconic Test victories in recent memory.
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