India's dramatic turnaround in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy earlier this year remains one of their most memorable overseas comebacks. Trailing 1-2 after the Lord's defeat, Shubman Gill's side stormed back at The Oval - thanks to a spell of relentless pace from Mohammed Siraj.
The right-arm quick bowled with heart and precision. He took nine wickets to help India level the series 2-2.
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Now, months later, Siraj has reflected on that remarkable performance and the mindset that carried him through.
Mohammed Siraj reveals how he decided to play the final Test
Speaking to The Indian Express in its Idea Exchange series, Siraj shared that he was given an option to skip the Oval Test due to workload concerns. With Jasprit Bumrah rested, India's attack depended heavily on him.
"Shubman Gill asked me, 'Kaisi hai teri body?' (How's your body?). I said, 'Ekdum first-class.' He told me I could decide whether to play. I said I'm 100% fit and ready. I would have played another Test if there was one," Siraj said.
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Siraj described being in a mental space where fatigue simply didn't exist.
"I didn't feel tired. I was in a zone. When you enter that zone, you don't even know what you are doing - you just know you have to do something there," he said.
He also recalled how the final morning of the Test felt destined. England needed only 35 runs, but Siraj believed it was his moment.
"I woke up early that day and told myself, 'This game won't go beyond an hour, and I'll win it.' When the ball left my hand, it felt perfect. It was a script from God - 'Ja hero ban ja tu (Go, become a hero),'" he added.
Siraj admitted that his journey through the series had been emotional. From being bowled cheaply at Lord's to conceding a boundary while catching Harry Brook earlier in the final Test, he had experienced both frustration and doubt.
But The Oval offered redemption - nine wickets, a match-winning spell, and a defining moment in his career. India's comeback in that Test was not just about skill, but resolve: something Siraj embodied through his words and performance.
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