"It was not a Shah Rukh Khan film" – Former batter’s massive praise after India's scintillating win at The Oval in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

England v India - 5th Rothesay Test Match: Day Five - Source: Getty
Team India celebrate their triumph in the fifth Test at The Oval - Source: Getty

Former batter Navjot Singh Sidhu heaped massive praise on Team India after their stunning win at The Oval. The visitors beat England in the fifth and final Test to level the series 2-2.

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He made a unique comparison and looked at the win like a film. However, referring to the renowned Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, Sidhu reckoned that this was not a film with a lone hero. He praised several individuals for their invaluable contributions throughout the Test, which ultimately led to India's historic win.

"There was no one hero in this film. It was not a Shah Rukh Khan film. There were side heroes who were no less than a hero. They emerged as a team. Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, the main hero, continuing the bowl with the old ball - the captain hero, the way Karun Nair played in the first innings, then Washington Sundar's knock, Dhruv Jurel's 37, and his wicketkeeping. You feel at the end that the transition and the change for the good is complete," he said on his YouTube channel. (0:10)
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Navjot Singh Sidhu also highlighted a masterstroke from captain Shubman Gill, not to take the second new ball during England's chase. The old ball was moving around nicely and aided the Indian bowlers. He continued with the old ball, and they eventually picked up the remaining four wickets on Day 5 to seal the deal.

England needed only 35 runs on the final day but fell short and were cleaned up for 367 in pursuit of 374.

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Navjot Singh Sidhu's massive statement on Mohammed Siraj after India's win

Mohammed Siraj was among the main heroes of India's stunning victory at The Oval. He took responsibility and led the attack in Jasprit Bumrah's absence. Bumrah, who had completed his three out of the five Tests, as made clear by the management before the series began, was rested.

However, Siraj returned match figures of 9/190 and helped the visitors script history. Navjot Singh Sidhu highlighted how Siraj wins matches for the team in the absence of Bumrah.

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"Whenever Siraj rises from Bumrah's shadow, his average comes down but he also wins you the game. This is such an amazing thing. That Siraj who fell on his knees and almost cried at Lord's, who dropped that catch, who told in an interview that he will give his everything for the country, people like him are alive to give everything for the country," he said. (2:57)
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He added to his earlier point about how Shubman Gill decided against taking the new ball, which proved to be vital. Both Siraj and Prasidh Krishna troubled the England batters as the ball moved around.

The former batter also hailed Krishna for his improved performance. He was expensive early on in the series. At The Oval, the pacer bagged four wickets in both innings and played a massive role in India's triumph.

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Edited by Rishab Vm
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