"This is a tribute to Virat Kohli" - Former opener's huge statement after India's historic win in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former opener Navjot Singh Sidhu reckoned India's win at The Oval was a tribute to former captain Virat Kohli. The visitors trumped England by a narrow margin of six runs in the fifth Test to level the five-match series 2-2.

Throughout the series, several players stepped up with both bat and ball. Captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were among the runs while Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep were among the wickets.

Sidhu reflected that the series win was a testament to the fact that this team was not dependent on one or two individuals. He believed it was a tribute to stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired from the format within the last eight months.

"This was a crucial win for India. It reflects that a team has risen, it reflects that the days are gone when you are dependent on just one player or two players are spoken about. This is a tribute to Virat Kohli. I miss his energy today as well. This is a tribute to Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, and all those guys who have inspired this team," he said on his YouTube channel. (6:08)

Notably, Bumrah was not a part of the two Tests that India won. He played only three out of the five games to manage his workload. The former batter reflected that the visitors winning both games without him was a big compliment.

"Winning both the Test matches without Bumrah is also a compliment to this team. His disciples are learning from him and are almost equal to him. It is tough to equal him, but they are winning the team matches. It is time to celebrate the Indian cricket team," he added. (7:14)

Siraj ended the series with 23 wickets while Krishna picked up 14. Akash Deep also bagged 13 wickets.

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India pulled off a miracle no one thought they would, believes Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu expressed that the visitors pulled off a miracle while no one had given them a chance. In the absence of senior players, there were question marks on the team's ability to perform in an overseas tour under a new captain.

"In the end when India won, even the whole of England were greeting them. When you do something that the world believes you can't, then understand that a miracle has happened. When the Indian team left, no one thought they would draw the series," he said. (7:56)

The visitors were 1-2 behind before the final Test. At The Oval, they set England a target of 374 runs in the fourth innings. It seemed as though the hosts would comfortably win the game at one point, with Joe Root and Harry Brook having scored hundreds.

However, the visitors fought back and eventually bowled England out for 367 to pull off a thrilling victory. The former cricketer remarked that this performance gained them the respect of world cricket.