Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul in the Oval Test didn’t just help India win, it created history. He made history as the first Asian bowler to achieve seven four-wicket hauls in red-ball cricket on English turf. This incredible feat set him apart from some of cricket’s biggest legends, including Kapil Dev and Jasprit Bumrah.
List of 4-wicket hauls in England by Indian bowlers
| Bowlers | Matchs | Wickets | 4-Wicket Haul |
| Mohammed Siraj | 11 | 41 | 7 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 12 | 51 | 5 |
| Ishant Sharma | 15 | 51 | 4 |
| Chetan Sharma | 2 | 16 | 3 |
| Subhash Gupte | 5 | 17 | 3 |
| Zaheer Khan | 8 | 31 | 3 |
| Kapil Dev | 13 | 43 | 3 |
| Mohammed Shami | 14 | 42 | 3 |
| Akash Deep | 3 | 12 | 2 |
| Mohammad Nissar | 4 | 18 | 2 |
| Venkatesh Prasad | 3 | 15 | 2 |
| Lala Amarnath | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| Dilip Doshi | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| Praveen Kumar | 3 | 15 | 2 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 5 | 19 | 2 |
| Surendra Nath | 5 | 16 | 2 |
| Vinoo Mankad | 6 | 20 | 2 |
| Bhagwath Chandrasekhar | 9 | 31 | 2 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 17 | 34 | 2 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 12 | 35 | 2 |
English conditions usually favour home-grown fast bowlers. The swinging ball, overcast skies, and seamier pitches make it tough for visiting pitchers. However, Siraj has mastered these conditions over time. With every tour, he sharpened his skills. His pace, control, and aggression have reached new heights. Consequently, he has become India’s go-to bowler in overseas Tests.
In the final Test of India’s 2025 tour of England, Siraj delivered a match-winning performance. First, he took 4 wickets for 86 runs in the opening innings. Then, he returned in the second innings to grab 5 wickets for 104 runs. With a total of 9 wickets, he recorded the best-ever bowling figures by an Indian at The Oval.
Thanks to his heroic spell, India pulled off one of their greatest wins. At one point, England needed just 35 runs with four wickets in hand. The match seemed to be slipping away. But Siraj turned it around. He dismissed the tail quickly and cleanly. At last, he delivered a flawless yorker that knocked over Gus Atkinson’s stumps, clinching the win. As a result, India won by just six runs, marking their narrowest Test win in history.
Throughout the series, Siraj remained consistent. He finished with 23 wickets, making him the joint-highest wicket-taker for India, alongside Jasprit Bumrah’s performance in the 2021-22 series. His ability to step up under pressure has made him one of the most dependable fast bowlers in Test cricket today.
More importantly, his record sends a strong message. It shows that Asian fast bowlers can thrive in England. Siraj’s achievement breaks stereotypes and sets a new benchmark for bowlers from the subcontinent. His success is not just about numbers; it reflects his discipline, growth, and fearless mindset.
Siraj’s journey makes this record even more meaningful. He was raised in Hyderabad, coming from a modest family. His father drove an auto-rickshaw. He played cricket on local grounds and wore slippers during matches. Many doubted his potential. Some even advised him to quit cricket. But Siraj believed in himself. He kept his determination high and put in even more effort with every challenge he faced.
Today, he stands as a symbol of perseverance. Young cricketers across India and Asia now look up to him, just for his pace, but for his journey. He has shown that with talent and determination, anything is possible.
To sum up, Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul at The Oval did more than win a Test match. It etched his name into the annals of history. By becoming the first Asian to take seven four-wicket hauls in England, he proved that greatness isn’t bound by conditions; it’s driven by heart, hard work, and hunger.
