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The dramatic Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 came to a fitting end on August 4. There was not much to choose between the two sides who fought tooth and nail, battling injuries, giving it all for their teams. Like the result of the game was uncertain, the candidate to receive the 'Player of the series' was uncertain too, at least in England head coach Brendon McCullum's behind. While India Test captain Shubman Gill scored 754 runs and shared the 'Player of the series' award with England's Harry Brook, McCullum changed his pick to Mohammed Siraj at the last moment.
“If the match had gotten over yesterday (Day 4), Shubman Gill was the man of the series,” Dinesh Karthik said in a conversation with Cricbuzz. “Brendon McCullum had said Shubman Gill. And obviously, Atherton [Mike Atherton] was the one doing the presentation. So, he had all the questions ready. Everything was for Shubman Gill.”
“Baz McCullum turned it around in a matter of half an hour, 40 minutes — to Mohammed Siraj,” Karthik revealed. “He even spoke about him in the post-match with Sky Sports — about how he enjoyed watching Siraj bowl and all the eloquent things he had to say about him.”
Siraj was the wrecker-in-chief on Day 5, taking three out of four wickets. He set the tone with wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith’s wicket and ended it by rattling the stumps as Gus Atkinson attempted to tie the score with a big hit.
McCullum hails Siraj
As Siraj completed his five-wicket haul at The Oval and ended as the highest wicket-taker in the series, McCullum lauded him for his spirited display.
“He’s got that spirit you want to see in a fast bowler,” McCullum said in a conversation with Karthik. “Every time he had the ball in hand, there was energy. You could see how much it meant to him. It was one of those spells that can change a series, and today, it really did.”
Karthik sings Siraj's praises in Bumrah's absence
Karthik heaped praise on Siraj for being relentless in his performances, especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
“This is a five-Test match series where bat has dominated the ball,” Karthik said. “It’s been hard work. And this boy has come in running every day of the series, when given the ball, with his heart out... When Bumrah didn’t play, Siraj stepped up and showed what it takes to win.
“At the start of the series, I actually said, in Australia, he bowled better with the old ball than with the new ball. But Mohamed Siraj has come out here to England. And when he has been the head of the pack, which means everybody was speaking about how Jasprit Bumrah is important. When Jasprit Bumrah plays, India should win. Otherwise, they are going to find it hard. And eventually, they ended up winning 2 Test matches. Both of which he didn't play. And it's obviously no reflection on Bumrah. Because he is such a genius that you rely so much on a Jasprit Bumrah for them to do the goods. But the fact is that when he wasn't around, Mohamed Siraj stepped up. Showed what it takes to win. You know, I think he can now rise beyond,” Karthik added.
Siraj claimed 23 wickets at an average of 32.43, including two five-wicket hauls. He played all five Tests and bowled 185.3 overs, most by a bowler in the series.
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