The five-match Test series between India and England concluded in dramatic fashion at The Oval, where team India defended a target of 374 to clinch the final match by just six runs. The narrow victory on August 4 meant the series ended in a 2-2 stalemate but the contests across five different venues delivered high-quality cricket, memorable performances and a level of drama that will be remembered for years.
Although the pitches tended to favour batting, bowlers still left their mark. For India, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah claimed two five-wicket hauls each, while Akash Deep, making his debut in England, dismissed ten batters in a single match to record the best figures by an Indian on the English soil. Prasidh Krishna also impressed with two four-wicket hauls in the final Test. England’s attack shone as well, with Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue each securing a fifer while Jofra Archer, returning to Test cricket for the first time since February 2021, took nine wickets across three innings.
After the series, former England captain Michael Vaughan named his standout performers on a podcast. He chose Siraj, the leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps, as bowler of the series and Shubman Gill who amassed 754 runs in 10 innings as the top batter. Michael Vaughan felt that a youthful Indian side had the better overall series, rating Jofra Archer’s comeback “nine out of ten” and praising Chris Woakes’ courageous decision to bat one-handed in the final Test as “heroic”.
Reflecting on the outcome, Michael Vaughan argued that while India fully deserved the draw over the five games, England let the opportunity slip on the final morning at The Oval. When asked whether the hosts would have won had Ben Stokes been available for the last match, he answered without hesitation, “Absolutely”.
Ben Stokes’ absence due to injury was a significant blow, especially after his Player of the Match performances in both the third and fourth Tests, where his all-round brilliance had shifted the momentum in England’s favour.
The series may have ended without a winner but the cricket on display ensured both the teams walked away with pride and plenty to build on for the future.
