As he heard the death-rattle behind him, Mohammed Siraj whirled around and found the bails missing. He saw Jamie Smith slap his gloves and rush towards Shoaib Bashir. Watched the ring of close-in fielders crowding the off-spinner who had snapped his resistance. Then he went down on his haunches, his head bowed, his face ashen, like he had just seen a ghost.

For 64 minutes and 30 deliveries — the most time he has batted and the most balls he has negotiated in a Test innings — the lion-hearted Hyderabadi defied England’s best, trying desperately to offer Ravindra Jadeja the support he required to pull off the most miraculous of victories. Then came that fateful moment at Lord’s, a perfect defensive stroke resulting in the bouncing ball rolling back, hitting the footmarks, wickedly turning direction and going behind Siraj to kiss the leg-stump. Ecstasy and agony shook hands to formalise England’s 22-run victory.

That one delivery perfectly summed up Siraj’s journey in the unforgiving cauldron of Test cricket. So, so nearly there. And yet…