"This is where change begins" - Team India star's massive statement after visitors' stunning 6-run win in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Team India batter KL Rahul reflected on the team's stunning six-run win over England in the fifth and final Test of the series at The Oval. The visitors needed four wickets on the final day with just 35 runs to play with.

Notably, the Indian Test team is in a transition with seniors like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin having retired from the format over the last eight months. This was India's first series without all three and a challenging one, being an overseas England tour.

However, the young side managed to level the series 2-2 with a stellar performance at The Oval. Reflecting on the win, Rahul said:

"It means absolutely everything. I have played cricket for a while. We won the Champions Trophy. I have seen India lifting the World Cup, but so many doubts, so many questions about whether Test cricket will stay or not. For us as a team that wasn't given a chance in the series, for us to fight back and fight every game and get a result of 2-2. Might seem like a draw but for us and for Indian Test cricket going into the future, this will rank right at the top and this is where the change begins and the team will win a lot more series outside of India. The whole team deserves it." (via Cricbuzz)

Rahul played a massive role himself as an opener in this series. He scored 532 runs from ten innings at an average of 53.20, with two hundreds and as many fifties. The star batter also added that he stepped into a different role in the absence of the seniors and guided the younger guys with all his experience.

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"He is here to stay as a leader" - KL Rahul praises India captain Shubman Gill

Post the win, KL Rahul also praised young captain Shubman Gill. Notably, this was his first series as captain, and managing to level it was a massive achievement.

Rahul reckoned that Gill has been phenomenal and has led from the front. He lauded the skipper for his hard work and tactical decisions on the field. The star batter further stated that Gill will take the Test team to greater heights in the future.

"Shubman has been phenomenal. He has really led from the front. Has worked really hard with the boys. He has been tactically really good. The changes he has made have always got us wickets somehow. He will grow further. He is here to stay as a leader and take this Indian Test team to great heights," he added.

Gill ended the series as the highest run-getter. He amassed 754 runs at an average of 75.40 with four hundreds, including a double hundred. Therefore, he not only led from the front as captain but also delivered as a batter.