India bounced back in the five-match Test series in style to win the fifth and the final Test at the Oval by six runs and held England to a 2-2 draw on Monday.
Despite being in the driver's seat for the majority of the fifth Test, India did the unthinkable and clinched the match in the end, thanks to some exceptional bowling by Mohammed Siraj.
Harry Brook and Joe Root's centuries had placed England in an advantageous position in the second innings, as the hosts were just 73 runs away from winning with seven wickets in hand, but Siraj's late exploits against English tailenders prevented them from clinching the series.
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India headed into the five-match Test series with a new-look side under the leadership of Shubman Gill. With stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announcing their retirement from the format, just months before the start of the series, it was always going to be a challenge for a young Indian side.
But the Indians took the challenge head-on and proved their worth as they will now return to their country without losing the crucial series.
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Did Irfan Pathan take a dig at Virat Kohli?
The answer is possibly no. There is no concrete evidence that Pathan's social media post after India's win at the Oval was an indirect dig at Kohli or any other senior player, as the former cricketer never specifically mentioned any names.
In his X post, after the fifth Test win, Pathan wrote: "This series reminds everyone once again. CRICKET DOESN’T STOP FOR ANYONE!"
This series reminds everyone once again
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) August 4, 2025
CRICKET DOESN’T STOP FOR ANYONE!
Also, it has to be noted that before seniors like Rohit and Kohli retired from the Test format, veteran spinner R Ashwin called it a day during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
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What next for the Indian Test cricket team?
The Indian Test team will return to action in October, when they face West Indies in a three-match series on home soil.