The first day of the Sydney Test witnessed intense drama, thanks to a controversial catch it involved Steve Smith AND Virat Kohli. after KL Rahul AND Yashasvi Jaiswal departed early, Kohli narrowly escaped a golden duck. Facing his first delivery from Scott Boland, Kohli edged one to Smith in the error. The referees on the field referred the decision above.
Replays revealed the ball appeared to touch the ground as Smith cinched it. Third umpire Joel Wilson ruled in favor of Kohli, ruling that the ball had made contact with the ground. The decision, however, left Smith and Australian team unhappy.
“100% Not denying it” – Smith stands firm
During a break in the game, Smith doubled down on his assertion. “100% I don't deny it at all, 100%. But the referee made his decision and we continue,” he said. The Australian player's conviction sparked lively debate among pundits and fans.
Justin Langer, speaking to the media, supported Smith's stance. “From what I've seen, that should have been out. Smith's fingers were clearly under the ball,” he said. Mark Waugh echoed this sentiment, stating, “To me, it's just that. He's made a second move to submit.”
Allan Border chimed in, adding, “Kohli got away with one there. Looked out to me.” However, not everyone agreed. Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan took sides with the third umpire's decision, tweeting: “Virat Kohli was not out, which was rightly called NOT OUT.”
The Referee's Perspective
Third umpire Joel Wilson's decision was based on extensive replays. “I could clearly see the ball roll off the grass,” explained Wilson, ruling in Kohli's favour. The footage showed Smith's fingers under the ball, but also noted that he touched the ground before the rebound.
Despite surviving the scare, Kohli's innings was short-lived. After facing 69 balls, he departed for 17 runs, again going one at slip. It was a tap for the first one Indian the captain, whose presence at the crease had initially given hope to the Indian side.
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