In a major show of confidence, South African fast-bowling legend Dale Steyn has predicted that India’s Mohammed Siraj will claim a five-wicket haul in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, starting Thursday at The Oval.
Steyn, widely regarded as one of the greatest pacers in cricket history, took to X and wrote, “Siraj to take a fifer in 5th Test.”
Siraj to take a fifer in 5th Test.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) July 30, 2025
Siraj has been among the standout bowlers for India in the series so far. With 14 wickets, he is currently the third-highest wicket-taker and has a realistic chance of topping the charts with one match remaining. The 31-year-old Hyderabad pacer was pivotal in India’s win at Edgbaston, where he delivered a match-defining spell of 6/70. The upcoming Test also presents a significant personal milestone for Siraj, who is just one wicket away from reaching 200 wickets in international cricket.
However, the right-arm pacer will be keen to bounce back after a challenging outing in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, where he conceded 140 runs in 30 overs for just one wicket (Chris Woakes) at an economy of 4.70.
With the series delicately poised at 1-2, India, buoyed by their gritty draw at Old Trafford, will be aiming to level the series 2-2. Siraj’s performance will be crucial to achieving that goal, and all eyes will be on him at The Oval to see if he can live up to Steyn’s prediction and deliver another game-changing spell.
IND vs ENG 5th Test Playing XI
England’s Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
India’s Playing XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna