Mohammad Siraj leads India’s fightback, dismisses Ollie Pope

LONDON: Mohammad Siraj turned the tide at The Oval on day two of the final Test, leading India’s spirited resurgence with a fiery bowling display that pegged England back to 215-7 at tea.

With the series on the line, Siraj’s three-wicket burst, including the crucial dismissal of stand-in captain Ollie Pope, hauled India back into contention after a chaotic start to the day.

England, leading the five-match series 2-1, were on course for a commanding first-innings lead after bowling India out for just 224 earlier in the morning.

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But the absence of Jasprit Bumrah was barely felt as Mohammad Siraj rose to the occasion, dismantling England’s middle order with precision and aggression.

After lunch, Mohammd Siraj trapped Pope lbw for 22 with a sharp in-dipper, striking a critical blow to England’s hopes of building a dominant lead.

That's Tea on Day 2 of the fifth #ENGvIND Test!

Superb bowling display from #TeamIndia to scalp 6⃣ wickets in the second session! 👌 👌

Third & final session of the Day to commence 🔜

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/Tc2xpWMCJ6 pic.twitter.com/cAyCaX1J7F

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2025

He had earlier removed Joe Root for 29 with a similar delivery, and then stunned debutant Jacob Bethell with a searing yorker to claim his third wicket of the session—all leg-before dismissals that showcased his control and swing under overcast conditions.

Siraj’s spell not only revived India’s chances but also reminded critics of his growing stature as a strike bowler in the absence of senior pace spearhead Bumrah.

With figures of 3-37 heading into the final session, his name was being chanted by the Indian fans in the stands—proof of the impact he had made.

England had started the day on a high, dismissing India’s tail for just 20 runs. Gus Atkinson ran through the lower order to finish with 5-33, while Karun Nair’s gritty 57 stood out in an otherwise dismal batting effort.

England’s reply began with a blaze as Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley raced to a 50-run opening stand in under seven overs, setting a national record for the fastest in Test history. But once the openers were removed—Duckett for 43 and Crawley for 64—the momentum began to shift.

Ollie Pope, who was captaining in Ben Stokes’ absence, looked solid before Siraj struck. His wicket, coupled with Root’s and Bethell’s, left England wobbling.

Prasidh Krishna then joined the act, dismissing Smith and Overton in quick succession before tea.

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With Harry Brook (33) now holding the fort and Chris Woakes unlikely to bat due to injury, England risk conceding their advantage unless the tail can defy India’s resurgent pace attack.