Sunil Gavaskar, former India captain and one of the team’s biggest cheerleaders, was all smiles on Monday after Shubman Gill and his men pulled off the unthinkable at The Oval.
Mohammed Siraj & Prasidh Krishna Turn the Match in Under an Hour
With just 35 runs to defend and four wickets to grab on the final day of the 5th Test against England, India’s chances looked slim. But the bowlers had other plans. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna delivered spells that were almost unplayable, and England’s resistance crumbled in less than an hour. In the end, India sealed victory by just six runs – the narrowest margin they’ve ever won a Test match by.
Sunil Gavaskar couldn’t contain his joy after the dramatic win. He even broke into song and dance, and a video of him singing Mere Desh Ki Dharti has since gone viral.
But beyond the celebrations, Sunil Gavaskar had high praise for Siraj. He said the pacer has “debunked forever this business of workload,” questioning the very concept by insisting that playing for the country should be enough to “forget the aches” – something soldiers guarding the nation do without complaint.
Sunil Gavaskar sang it for all of us 🎶🇮🇳
Nothing lights up the little master like a #TeamIndia victory 😄 #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings pic.twitter.com/KrNQXygjx8
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 4, 2025
Jasprit Bumrah’s Absence and the Injury Management Angle
Mohammed Siraj played all five Tests in the recently concluded series against England, bowling a total of 185.3 overs and picking up 23 wickets. In comparison, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah featured in only three matches, missing the must-win fifth Test as part of his workload management plan.
However, Gavaskar made it clear that his comments weren’t aimed at Jasprit Bumrah, explaining that the bowler’s situation was more about “injury management” than workload.
“When you are playing for your country, forget the aches and the pains. On the border, do you think that the jawans are complaining about cold? What did Rishabh Pant show you? He came out to bat with a fracture. That is what you expect from the players. Playing cricket for India is an honour,” Gavaskar told India Today.
“You are representing 140 crore people and that is what we saw in Mohammed Siraj. I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload.”
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