Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh has weighed in on a pivotal moment from Day 4 of the ongoing fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval. Waugh shared his views on Mohammed Siraj’s missed catch of Harry Brook, which could overshadow the pacer's otherwise impressive performance throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. According to Waugh, the lapse could prove costly for India and for Siraj’s overall contribution to the series.

The incident occurred when England’s Harry Brook was batting on 19 and lofted a delivery from Prasidh Krishna towards the boundary. Mohammed Siraj, who had just returned to the field after a short break, sprinted in and completed what initially looked like a clean catch. However, his foot made contact with the boundary cushion while completing the grab, converting the dismissal into a six. Brook went on to make a match-defining 111, marking his 10th Test century and giving England a strong grip on the match, now just 35 runs away from victory.

Mark Waugh reacted to the incident after a fan page on social media highlighted how Siraj, despite being one of India’s most hardworking bowlers this series, might leave with a few regrets. Waugh didn’t hold back and gave a blunt response, suggesting that such mistakes tend to linger longer in memory than the good work done. He also questioned Siraj’s consistency as a fielder in international cricket.

Waugh slams Siraj’s focus and fielding reliability

Responding to the post on X (formerly Twitter) on August 4, Mark Waugh said, “Regulation catch at this level. He’s a fairly unreliable catcher at the best of times. Unfortunately, he’d been off the field just before this and probably wasn’t fully focused.” Waugh’s remarks reflect a broader issue of fielding standards under pressure situations, particularly in crucial games like this.

Regulation catch at this level. He’s a fairly unreliable catcher at the best of time. Unfortunately he’d been off the field just before this and probably wasn’t fully focused.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) August 4, 2025

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Besides his excellent bowling efforts, such as taking four wickets in the first innings, Siraj’s failure of a catch gave England the chance to remain in the contest and attempt a 3-1 victory in the series. This incident could be one of the key moments in the Test, and Waugh has indicated that it is a telling example of how a small loss of focus can be very expensive even for those who perform brilliantly.