London: On Monday, Mohammed Siraj, who took five wickets in the second innings of the thrilling final Test against England at The Oval, led India to a memorable and historic win. A die-hard fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, Siraj downloaded a photo of Ronaldo with the word “Believe” on it early Monday morning as his mobile wallpaper drawing confidence from it to help India clinch the Test.
After the match, Siraj said, “I usually wake up at 8 a.m., but today (Monday), I woke up at 6. I felt I could win this Test for India. I immediately remembered Ronaldo’s ‘Believe’ poster. I searched for that image on Google, downloaded it, made it my wallpaper, and embedded that word in my heart and mind. That one word gave me immense confidence that helped India win.”
Later that evening, after taking the match-winning wicket, Siraj celebrated by leaping high into the air imitating Ronaldo’s signature celebration.
From catch fiasco to redemption
England’s centurion Harry Brook, who scored 111 in the second innings, was on 19 when Siraj caught him on the boundary — stepping on the rope while catching. But poetic justice was served when Siraj caught Brook again off Akash Deep’s bowling to dismiss him at 111.
Series turned around in 56 minutes of drama
The final day of the Test series saw nonstop drama unfold in the first 56 minutes, with India emerging victorious by just 6 runs. England, chasing 374, were bowled out for 367 — making it one of the most thrilling finishes in recent memory.
Gill and Brook named Players of the Series
As the five-Test series ended in a 2-2 draw, the prestigious Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was jointly awarded to India and England. Both captains — Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes — were presented with the Pataudi Medal. Siraj was named Player of the Match, while Shubman Gill and Harry Brook shared the Player of the Series title.
Injured Woakes stood tall in defeat
Despite a serious shoulder injury, England’s fast bowler Chris Woakes walked out to bat with a strapped left arm. He didn’t need to face many deliveries, but stood at the non-striker’s end helplessly witnessing England’s defeat.
India’s two Test wins came without Bumrah
India’s second Test victory in the series came at Edgbaston, where Jasprit Bumrah was rested as part of workload management. Despite his absence, India triumphed — thanks to Siraj’s 7 wickets and Akash Deep’s 10-wicket haul. In the final Oval Test too, Siraj took 9 wickets. Along with Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep, the pace trio made up for Bumrah’s absence and led India to a second Test win.
Bharat Arun spotted Siraj’s raw potential
From a young age, Siraj idolized Ronaldo and carried unshakable self-belief even while playing with tennis balls. Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun recognized Siraj’s raw talent and guided him toward international cricket.
From rickshaw driver’s son to a crorepati cricketer
Siraj’s father was an auto-rickshaw driver who worked tirelessly to support the family. In his early cricket days, Siraj often faced ridicule when he performed poorly in local matches — people would taunt him: “You don’t need to play cricket; just drive a rickshaw like your father and earn money.”
But Siraj didn’t give up. He vowed to make it big in cricket — and today, he’s a crorepati, with assets worth over ₹57 crore including properties and vehicles.
