Brendon McCullum didn't want to give Player of the Series to Shubman Gill, picked Siraj in last moment change but…

The twists and turns the India vs England five-match Test series would give even the best of Bollywood thriller writers a run for their money. The highs and the lows were never-ending, and some of them were so dramatic that they needed time to sink in. If the action on the cricket field was not dramatic enough, England head coach Brendon McCullum decided to add to it. The former New Zealand skipper reportedly wanted to change his pick for Player of the Series at the last minute — switching from Shubman Gill to Mohammed Siraj — following India’s thrilling six-run win in the fifth Test at The Oval to level the five-match series 2-2. England head coach Brendon McCullum shakes hands with India's Shubman Gill after the match(Action Images via Reuters)

The revelation came from former India cricketer and commentator Dinesh Karthik on Cricbuzz, who explained how the choice flipped within an hour on the final day as Siraj turned the match on its head with a spirited bowling display.

“If the match had gotten over yesterday (Day 4), Shubman Gill was the man of the series,” Karthik said. “Brendon McCullum had said Shubman Gill. And obviously, Atherton [Mike Atherton] was the one doing the presentation. So, he had all the questions ready. Everything was for Shubman Gill.”

But as the final morning unfolded and Siraj ripped through England’s lower order, helping bowl the hosts out for 367 in pursuit of 374, McCullum swiftly changed his mind.

'McCullum wanted to change Player of the Series to Siraj': Karthik

“Baz McCullum turned it around in a matter of half an hour, 40 minutes — to Mohammed Siraj,” Karthik revealed. “He even spoke about him in the post-match with Sky Sports — about how he enjoyed watching Siraj bowl and all the eloquent things he had to say about him.”

In England, the opposition coaches choose two Player of the Series awards at the end of a gruelling bilateral. Expecting the match to end on Day 4, the broadcasters took the verdict of McCullum and Gautam Gambhir. The former voted for Shubman Gill, who scored 754 runs in five Tests, while Gambhir went with Harry Brook, who nearly took he game away from India with his blistering batting.

In the post-match interview with Sky Sports, McCullum heaped praise on Siraj’s fire and resilience:

“He’s got that spirit you want to see in a fast bowler,” McCullum said. “Every time he had the ball in hand, there was energy. You could see how much it meant to him. It was one of those spells that can change a series, and today, it really did.”

Siraj finished with figures of 5 for 69 in the fourth innings and played a crucial role throughout the series, especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. His performance on Day 5 was pivotal in breaking England’s late resistance and sealing a remarkable comeback win for India.

Karthik lauded the 30-year-old pacer for rising to the occasion when India needed him most.

“This is a five-Test match series where bat has dominated the ball,” Karthik said. “It’s been hard work. And this boy has come in running every day of the series, when given the ball, with his heart out... When Bumrah didn’t play, Siraj stepped up and showed what it takes to win.”

“At the start of the series, I actually said, in Australia, he bowled better with the old ball than with the new ball. But Mohamed Siraj has come out here to England. And when he has been the head of the pack, which means everybody was speaking about how Jasprit Bumrah is important. When Jasprit Bumrah plays, India should win. Otherwise, they are going to find it hard. And eventually, they ended up winning 2 test matches. Both of which he didn't play. And it's obviously no reflection on Bumrah. Because he is such a genius that you rely so much on a Jasprit Bumrah for them to do the goods. But the fact is that when he wasn't around, Mohamed Siraj stepped up. Showed what it takes to win. You know, I think he can now rise beyond,” Karthik added.

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