Following India's thrilling victory against England at The Oval, which resulted in a 2-2 draw in the five-match Test series, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has taken a dig at Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, reminding him to assess "where England actually stands".

The context of Harbhajan's comments stems from pre-series predictions, where several cricket analysts, including Vaughan, favored England to win the series, some even suggesting a 3-1 scoreline. However, India, under the leadership of a relatively new captain, Shubman Gill, defied expectations and showcased resilience throughout the series.

Harbhajan Singh lauded the Indian team's performance, especially considering the absence of experienced players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom had recently retired from Test cricket. He emphasized that drawing a series in England, given the circumstances, was no less than a victory for the young Indian team.

"I feel there is a big win hidden for India here. Yes, the scoreline shows 2-2," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. "Michael Vaughan and many others predicted that it would be 3-1 or 3-0. I would tell them to look towards their side a bit and where England cricket stands. Our warriors have shown the level of Indian cricket,".

The Oval Test itself was a nail-biting encounter, with India winning by just six runs. India's Mohammed Siraj delivered a stellar performance, taking 5 wickets for 104 runs in the second innings. Prasidh Krishna also played a crucial role, picking up four wickets. India had set England a target of 374, and the hosts came close but ultimately fell short.

Several players like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant played exceptionally well throughout the series. Gill, in his debut series as India's Test captain, amassed 754 runs at an average of 75.40, including four centuries. Mohammed Siraj ended the series as the highest wicket-taker with 23 scalps.

The India-England Test series in 2025 will also be remembered for being rechristened as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, honoring two legends of the game, Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson.

Despite drawing the series, India's performance was particularly noteworthy given the team's transitional phase and the challenging conditions in England. Harbhajan's remarks underscore the significance of India's achievement and serve as a reminder to critics to consider the context and the team's composition before making judgments.