\"First of all, I don\u2019t think many people gave this Indian team a chance. They went to England without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin. Shubman Gill was a new captain, and there were questions raised about that, too. Some experts predicted a 3-1 or 4-1 loss. But this Indian team showed that matches are won on the field \u2014 not on paper,\" Kaif told IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With England needing just 35 runs and India four wickets to force a series-levelling win on Day 5, the stage was set for an epic finale. The clouds loomed over The Oval, and a sold-out crowd added to the drama with every clap, gasp, and groan. On the field, Mohammed Siraj rose to the occasion, delivering what Kaif described as a performance that should make him \u201cthe brand ambassador of Test cricket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Siraj had dropped Harry Brook on Day 4 \u2014 a moment that could\u2019ve haunted him. Instead, it lit a fire. On Day 5, he returned with renewed rhythm and a point to prove. He removed Jamie Smith early, before trapping Jamie Overton LBW with a nip-backer. Prasidh Krishna castled Josh Tongue and kept India in the hunt. And then came the moment: Siraj bowled a perfect yorker to flatten Gus Atkinson\u2019s off stump and clinch a famous win for India, their narrowest ever in Test history.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"There are very few words to describe Siraj,\u201d Kaif said. \u201cHe is full of passion. He has skill \u2014 swing, yorkers, wickets \u2014 but it\u2019s his hunger and intensity that stand out. There\u2019s a lot of talk about workload management these days \u2014 four overs here, five overs there \u2014 but had Gill followed that, India might\u2019ve lost this match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Siraj took the ball and just kept going. On Day 5, with the old ball, he got it to swing both ways. To dismiss Jamie Smith with a 75-over old ball \u2014 that was special. To clean up Gus Atkinson with a yorker \u2014 pure Test-match theatre.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s bowling unit \u2014 led by Siraj (5\/104) and Prasidh Krishna (4\/126) \u2014 skittled England\u2019s last four wickets for just 28 runs. But as Kaif reminded, this win wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the contributions of India\u2019s batters \u2014 particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, who stood tall in testing conditions. \u201cBefore I spoke about Siraj, I should have mentioned Jaiswal,\u201d Kaif admitted. \u201cWithout his runs, there would\u2019ve been nothing to defend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His intent in the second innings made all the difference. He left balls outside off, attacked when needed, and played a long innings. This was the toughest pitch of the series \u2014 the other four were flat and batting-friendly. But here, the bowlers dominated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jaiswal showed that he has the technique and temperament to play in challenging conditions. He\u2019s a big-match player. When the team needed him most, in a must-win game, he delivered.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jaiswal\u2019s composed 118 in the second innings had allowed India to set a target of 374 \u2014 enough to create pressure on England on a surface offering inconsistent bounce and sharp seam movement. Washington Sundar too played a crucial lower-order knock, and both performances stemmed from a tactical blueprint devised by the team\u2019s head coach. \u201cGautam Gambhir deserves a lot of credit,\u201d Kaif said. \u201cHe had a clear plan: he wanted batting till No. 8.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
And because of that, we won two Test matches. At Edgbaston, Jadeja scored down the order. In this match, Washington Sundar made a crucial 50 at No. 9.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jaiswal also played a key knock. So, the idea of batting deep worked. There were doubts initially, but Gautam proved that decision absolutely right.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gambhir\u2019s strategy was only as good as the captain executing it. In Shubman Gill, India seems to have found not just a batsman with flair but a leader with poise and growing maturity. \u201cGill is learning very quickly as a captain,\u201d Kaif noted. \u201cThe way he stayed calm in the final Test, when India were trailing 2-1 and had to win to level the series, was impressive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier in the series \u2014 maybe in the second Test \u2014 he had a bit of an argument with Crawley. But then he realised he is a better captain in a calm environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gambhir\u2019s strategy was only as good as the captain executing it. In Shubman Gill, India seems to have found not just a batsman with flair but a leader with poise and growing maturity. \u201cGill is learning very quickly as a captain,\u201d Kaif noted. \u201cThe way he stayed calm in the final Test, when India were trailing 2-1 and had to win to level the series, was impressive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cTo finish the series 2-2 might just look like numbers, but I would say this was a big win for India \u2014 especially because of how they played the final Test match.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n