The Oval Test: ‘Used vaseline to...’! Ex-Pak pacer makes ball-tampering claim about India’s win against England

India’s thrilling six-run win against England in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval is now part of the country’s cricketing folklore.

With four wickets in hand and 35 runs to get on day 5, its was England’s match to lose. And they did. Thanks in a heap to the tireless, Mohammed Siraj, who took a fifer and a match haul of nine wickets. He picked 23 wickets in the series, to equal Jasprit Bumrah as the Indian bowler with most wickets in a Test series in England.

India’s famous, series-levelling win – the series was tied at 2-2, with the fourth Test at Manchester ending in a draw – was a fitting end to a closely fought, drama-filled series. It was also India’s narrowest win in terms of runs in Test cricket, surpassing the 13-run victory against Australia at Mumbai in 2004.

However, former Pakistan pacer Shabbir Ahmed cast a cloud over the iconic win by accusing India of using vaseline to retain the shine of the ball. The new ball was available on the final day, but skipper Shubman Gill stuck to the old ball, with Siraj and Prasidh Krishna proving him right. Ahmed took to X to make the claim.

Ahmed, who played for Pakistan between 1999 and 2007, added that the ball should be sent to the lab for examination.

Who is Shabbir Ahmed?

The former Pakistan right-arm fast bowler played 10 Tests, 32 ODIs and one T20I for Pakistan, and took a combined 84 wickets in his international career.

Ahmed was the joint-fastest Pakistani bowler to 50 Test wickets (Waqar Younis achieved it in 10 Tests), but his career suffered post 2005, when he was suspended for a year because of suspect bowling action. In fact, he was the first international bowler to be banned for a year for illegal bowling action.

He later played for Chennai Superstars in the now defunct Indian Cricket League, and took a hat-trick in the final of the inaugural edition to help Chennai to lift the title.