Chris Woakes could only watch in agony from the non-striker's end as Mohammed Siraj bowled Gus Atkinson to seal a six-run victory for India in the fifth Test at The Oval. The win levelled the series 2-2, with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy shared after a thrilling contest.
Woakes, who dislocated his shoulder on the first day, was unable to bowl but came to the crease with 17 runs needed, his left arm hidden under a sleeveless sweater. He intended to bat left-handed if necessary, but did not face a ball in his 16-minute stay, with Atkinson protecting him and scoring a six off Akash Deep.
England needed 35 runs to win with four wickets in hand, but Siraj's five-wicket haul triggered a collapse. Jamie Smith fell early, and despite Jamie Overton's two fours, he was given lbw to Siraj. Josh Tongue was yorked by Prasidh Krishna for a duck, leaving Atkinson and Woakes to chase the remaining runs.
Siraj finished with 23 wickets in the series, equalling Jasprit Bumrah's record for an Indian in England, and was named player of the match. Shubman Gill, with 754 runs, was player of the series, while Harry Brook was England's standout with a century on day four.
England captain Ben Stokes missed the Test due to soft-tissue rehabilitation, and his side fell just short of a 3-1 series win. The match was described as one of the most intense hours of Test cricket ever witnessed, with India fighting back from 2-1 down to share the spoils.
