How appropriate that Tim Bresnan should be the unsung hero of England's dramatic Durham triumph, whereas Stuart Broad – the Spice Boy, perhaps, having been told to "spice things up" by his captain Alastair Cook at tea – grabbed the glory and the man of the match award.

Bresnan is much happier beneath the radar than blinking into the cameras, but his natural effacement should not be allowed to detract from the crucial part he has played in England's success this summer – nor from the rollercoaster ride he endured to do so.

Back at the end of January, when England's national selector Geoff Miller announced in a swanky Chandigarh hotel that Bresnan had been omitted from the trip to New Zealand to allow him to have a second operation on his right elbow, there were those who wondered if he would play international cricket again. A couple of journalists at that press conference even had a small bet on it, with the Bresnan sceptic forced to pay up within days as the Yorkshireman made a surprise appearance in the last game of the one-day series against India in Dharamsala – and took four for 45, even with his dodgy elbow.

But David Saker, England's Australian bowling coach who has long been a huge Bresnan fan, confirms that the fears over his future, even before his 28th birthday, were real. "There were a lot of doubts whether he could come back and bowl at a pace that could be competitive at international level," Saker said. "The injury was restricting him, and he had to do something about it. To get from where we were then to what he's done for us this summer is a great story."

Bresnan had taken two wickets in his past four Test appearances. His stunning impact on the 2010-11 Ashes series, and the suggestion that he might be some sort of lucky charm after England won each of the first 13 Tests in which he played, seemed a long time ago.

He did enough in a few early-season appearances for Yorkshire to regain his place in the squad for the two spring Tests against New Zealand, and the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, but missed out to Steven Finn on each occasion. Then he was given his big chance in place of Finn at Lord's and has arguably been England's most consistent seamer since.

There were two wickets in each innings at Lord's, from a total of 21 overs, and although Old Trafford was much harder going, he dismissed Shane Watson cheaply for the second time in as many matches. But at the Riverside, an hour or so up the A1 from his Castleford roots, his contribution was so much more significant than the bare statistics – three for 99, and 57 from two innings – suggest.

"He hasn't picked up many five-wicket hauls but he has made some serious contributions to the England team doing well and [Monday] was an excellent example," the team director, Andy Flower, said. "His batting in the morning [in reaching 45 from 90 balls, the second highest score of England's second innings] was outstanding. He played tight when he had to and then shifted his game to an aggressive style."

It was when Cook brought him on in place of Graeme Swann from the Finchale End for the 44th over that Bresnan made his most significant single impact. Piers Morgan is a convenient target for abuse but when he tweeted "Bresnan????? Cook's lost the plot here", he was far from the only England supporter who wondered about the decision.

Shane Warne was bemused in the Sky commentary box. "Well he is working with the Australian team, I suppose," Flower responded, archly – and even the more circumspect Mike Atherton had been wondering whether Bresnan's handy batting ability had led England to err in selecting him as their third seamer.

But after Michael Clarke hit his first ball for a single, Bresnan's third ball at David Warner lifted and nipped away off a good length. The left-hander edged to Matt Prior and England had their crucial breakthrough. "I've never seen one wicket change a game like that," Saker said. "Then he got Watson out [for the third time in as many games], the other guy who had made runs in their first innings.

"It's frustrating sometimes when you hear people putting him down, because every time we ask questions of him he produces the goods. He does some great stuff for us because he's reliable – that's why he's in our group. I'm really happy for him, because he's a really likable guy."

"We're all sensitive to a certain extent, even the hardiest of us," said Flower of the criticism. "Bressie is an excellent man, a really solid bloke and a guy that is really calm under pressure."

England have won 15 of the 21 Tests in which Bresnan has played, and lost only three. His Ashes record is played five, won four, drawn one. Perhaps even the Bressie-sceptics might concede he has earned his place at The Oval?