Gautam Gambhir might have supported England's Harry Brook as the top performer of the five-Test series, but England head coach Brendon McCullum originally had India captain Shubman Gill in mind.
The dramatic scenes on the last day at The Oval, though, forced McCullum to reconsider his selection, shifting the limelight to Mohammed Siraj for his match-turning spell.
Former India cricketer and Sky Cricket commentator Dinesh Karthik has stated that McCullum had declared Gill his 'Player of the Series' after Day 4 of the final Test. India were in a position of strength at the time, and presentation plans were already on the cards with Gill being the center of attraction.
If the match had reached over yesterday (Day 4), Shubman Gill was the man of the series," Karthik stated in an interview on Cricbuzz. "Brendon McCullum had put down Shubman Gill. And of course, Atherton [Mike Atherton] was presenting. So, he had all the questions prepared. Everything was for Shubman Gill.
But the fifth day was to prove different. Siraj took three of England's last four wickets, turning the match in India's direction and clinching a six-run victory—the smallest winning margin for India in a Test match.
That changed McCullum's whole attitude.
Baz McCullum turned it around within half an hour, 40 minutes – to Mohammed Siraj," Karthik revealed. "He even mentioned him in the post-match with Sky Sports – about how he loved to watch Siraj bowl and all the nice things he had to say about him."
McCullum also lauded the Indian pacer's fighting spirit and ceaseless energy, stating:
He's got that fire you want to see in a quick bowler," he said to Sky Sports. "Whenever he had the ball in his hand, there was pace. You could see how much it meant to him. It was one of those performances that can turn a series around, and today, it actually did.
Siraj, who has always been regarded as Jasprit Bumrah's deputy, played the senior role here since Bumrah missed some key games. And whenever India needed to make a breakthrough, Siraj delivered with heart and purpose.
"This has been a five-Test series where the bat has ruled the ball," Karthik explained. "It has been with sweat of the brow. And this young lad has walked in running every day of the series, when entrusted with the ball, with his heart in the mouth. When Bumrah didn't take the field, Siraj did a job and demonstrated what it takes to conquer."
Karthik also highlighted how Siraj's development has been apparent, especially in his skill for employing the old ball—a feat he had demonstrated previously in Australia but honed even better in England.
"Initially in the series, I even remarked, in Australia, he bowled better with the old ball compared to the new ball," Karthik said. "But Mohamed Siraj has come out here in England.". And when he's been the leader of the pack, i.e., everyone was talking about how Jasprit Bumrah is the key. When Jasprit Bumrah plays, India will always win. Otherwise, they're going to struggle. And then they went on to win 2 Test matches. Both of which he didn't play."
He explained that this was not a criticism of Bumrah, whose worth to the team is invaluable, but an appreciation of Siraj's capability to step up during his absence.
"It's clearly no discredit to Bumrah. Because he is such a brilliance that you depend so heavily on a Jasprit Bumrah for them to deliver the goods. But the reality is that when he wasn't there, Mohamed Siraj delivered. Displayed what it takes to win. You know, I believe that he can now move past it," Karthik summed up.
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