Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 5 : Former captain Sourav Ganguly revealed that he was confident about India creating an everlasting memory by standing triumphant in the fifth Test against England after the end of day four at Kennington Oval.
The weather gods intervened in the final hour of the fourth day to force a premature closure of the pulsating contest. The equation was clear, England stood 35 runs away to gun down the 374-run target and end the series 3-1, while India had to dig deep and scalp four wickets to level the five-match contest at 2-2.
Odds and even the prediction meter heavily favoured England to go past the finish line with consummate ease. However, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj bowled in tandem under London's gloomy sky with slight drizzle pelting down on the ground.
With the old ball moving like a yo-yo, each delivery they bowled was an event in itself. They wreaked havoc and tore through England's tail to cross the finish line with a six-run victory, scripting the unthinkable. Siraj finished with a five-wicket haul and Krishna boasted a four-fer to mark the end of a stellar series.
"When the game of Day 4 finished, I had confidence that India was going to win. The pitch was really good, and Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have done outstanding bowling," Ganguly told reporters.
A famed member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, Madan Lal, emphasised the gravity of India's victory and told ANI, "It is a historic victory. They took four wickets for such few runs. It was standout bowling by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. We will always remember this Test match because there have been very few such matches seen in India's history."
The five-match series between India and England was a hard-fought one, and it was only fitting that it ended on level terms. During the course of the series, players from both teams put their bodies on the line, overcoming minor and major injuries and body blows, as they played Test cricket just the way it should be.
The intensity was high on every ball, with high effort and power in every ball bowled or shot played. Emotions boiled over, and temperament flared on and off the field, which added an element of spice to the series.
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