Mohammed Siraj led India’s pace attack to victory in the Oval Test, fulfilling Dale Steyn’s prediction of a five-wicket haul. Siraj finished the series as the highest wicket-taker, solidifying his place in Indian cricket history.
Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj made former South African pacer Dale Steyn’s prediction come true after India’s victory in the fifth and final Test of the five-match series at the Oval in London on Monday, August 4.
Mohammed Siraj was one of the instrumental players in India’s series-levelling victory in the Oval Decider, as he picked nine wickets across two innings to help the visitors end the England tour on high by series draw at 2-2. In the second innings, when England were chasing a 374-run target, the 31-year-old delivered one of the best performances in his Test career.
Siraj registered his second five-wicket haul of the England Test series by picking wickets of Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, and Gus Atkinson to bowl out the hosts for 367 and seal a thrilling yet memorable five-match series win on English soil.
Dale Steyn knew before everyone
Before the Oval Test, Dale Steyn made a bold prediction on Mohammed Siraj, who was entrusted with the responsibility to lead India’s pace attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the series decider and then released from the squad amid the final Test.
For the second time, Siraj was leading the pace attack in the Test series against England after Bumrah sat out the Edgbaston Test, which India won, to manage his workload. Just a few hours before Day 1 of the Oval Decider, Steyn put out a prediction on Siraj on his X handle (formerly Twitter).
“Siraj to take a fifer in 5th Test,” Steyn wrote on X.
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A simple tweet by Dale Steyn on his bold prediction on Mohammed Siraj gained traction among cricket fans and experts. However, Steyn’s prediction came true after Siraj picked up his fifer in the second innings of the Oval Decider.
‘You asked. I delivered’
After Mohammed Siraj picked afifer in the second innings of the Oval Decider, Dale Steyn’s tweet did not go unnoticed by the Indian pacer, who appreciated the former South African pacer’s faith in him.
“You asked. I delivered. Really appreciate coming from you,” Siraj wrote on X.
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With nine wickets in the Oval Test, which was called the series finale, Siraj emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the series, scalping 23 wickets, including two fifers, at an average of at an average of 32.43 and an economy rate of 4.02 in nine innings.
Siraj is the second Indian bowler after Jasprit Bumrah to take 20 or more in a Test series in England. Additionally, he also holds a joint record alongside Bumrah for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in a Test series on English soil.