India pacer Mohammed Siraj drew lavish praise from Pakistan legend Wasim Akram for his lion-hearted effort throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England

Siraj put his body on the line and played all five games in the hard-fought series, finishing as the leading wicket-taker. His grit was evident in the 1113 deliveries he bowled, picking up 23 wickets at an average of 32.43.

When India needed crucial wickets, Siraj stepped up, often stretching his spells to ensure smoother rotation. With Jasprit Bumrah playing only three Tests to manage his workload, the 31-year-old took on the mantle of spearheading India’s pace attack.

On the final day of the Oval Test, the hosts were 35 runs away from chasing a 374-run target, with four wickets in hand. However, Siraj once again lifted his game under pressure, returning with five wickets to propel the visitors to a narrow six-run victory, thereby ending the series in a 2-2 draw.

“Siraj was full of hunger and passion – it was an incredible effort. To bowl nearly 186 overs across five Tests and still be that fiery on the final day shows remarkable stamina and mental strength. He's not just a support bowler anymore,” Akram said in an interview with Telecom Asia Sport.

“He's leading the attack and doing it with heart. Even when a catch went down– that of Brook – he didn't lose focus. That's the mark of a fighter. Test cricket is alive and kicking,” he added.

Akram said he was glued to the TV screen on the final day of the Oval Test, calling the contest a great spectacle for red-ball cricket.

“I rarely watch cricket when I'm not working, but I was glued to the last day,” said Akram. "I gave India a 60 per cent chance on Day 5. They just needed that first breakthrough. With Woakes injured and India sensing blood, it was game on. Siraj made that possible."

The former Pakistan captain also commended the Indian team management for taking a brave call in resting Bumrah for the series-decider. “It takes a brave team to rest their best bowler. But India had the bench strength, and the plan worked perfectly,” Akram stated.

“With the Asia Cup in 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2026 coming up, this kind of foresight is essential. Bumrah is vital across formats, and managing him well is key," he remarked.