"He was like a deer in the headlights" - Brad Hogg reacts to England batter's struggle against Mohammed Siraj on Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test 

Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg pointed out how England's wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith looked visibly uncomfortable against Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj's bowling on Day 5 of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy fifth Test. India clinched a thrilling six-run victory at The Oval, London, to draw the five-match series 2-2.

The onus was on Smith to play a clutch knock as England required 35 runs to win on Day 5. India, on the other hand, were in search of four wickets. Siraj helped the visitors get off to a fantastic start.

The right-arm pacer dismissed Smith caught behind in the second over of the day. The English stumper was unsettled by the outswing deliveries and ultimately got an outside edge.

Commenting on Smith's nervous stay at the crease, here's what Hogg said in the latest video on his YouTube channel (at 1:08):

"He had a chance to really set his name into the lights of international cricket. The big moment was there, and he was like a deer in the headlights facing those three balls from Siraj."

Smith scored two runs off 20 deliveries as England were bowled out for 367. Siraj played a starring role in India's remarkable victory. He finished with a five-wicket haul in the innings, registering stunning figures of 30.1-6-104-5.

Hogg also questioned India's tactics of having multiple fielders in the deep for Gus Atkinson on the last ball of the 85th over. He opined that the side could have afforded letting Atinkson hit a boundary on that ball, as it would have gotten the injured Chris Woakes on strike for the next over.

He remarked:

"There was one moment, Krishna's final ball to Atkinson. England still needed eight to win at that particular stage, Woakes with one arm, and I'm thinking, 'Why have you got all the men on the fence?' If he gets the boundary, then all of a sudden, you've got Siraj bowling to a batsman who has only got one hand on the bat."

The move didn't hurt India as Siraj castled Atkinson with a brilliant yorker on the very first ball of the 86th over.

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"You've got to be very careful" - Brad Hogg on the injured Chris Woakes coming out to bat on Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

England seamer Chris Woakes showed great courage after the side lost nine wickets. He walked out to bat despite a shoulder injury. The 36-year-old had his left arm in a sling under a sweater.

While he didn't get any strike, Brad Hogg expressed concern about Woakes choosing to bat with such an injury. Giving his take on the incident in the aforementioned video, the cricketer-turned-expert said (at 24:47):

"If something happened to Woakes, where he actually faced a delivery, and India sitting there going, 'How do we bowl to Chris Woakes?' Obviously, you go for a yorker, but if he was picking it out with that one hand, do India have the right to bowl him a bouncer?"

"If they do bowl him a bouncer and get him in the head and he is unconscious, there are huge ramifications moving forward there. I think on the injury front, you've got to be very careful," Hogg added.

It is worth noting that Woakes sustained a shoulder injury while fielding on Day 1 of the fifth Test. He was ruled out for the remainder of the match, but put his body on the line on the final day to give his side a chance of overhauling the 374-run target.