Indian star cricketer Virat Kohli has got a great opportunity on the opening day of the fifth and final Test against the Australians here at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Fans had been shocked to see that regular skipper Rohit Sharma was rested while team star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was named the captain for the final Test of the five-match series. Desiring to bat first, India faced early blows as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were sent back with only nothing on the board. After that, Kohli amalgamated with Shubman Gill, which he survived a close call on the very first delivery that he faced.
Australia pacer Scott Boland almost trapped Kohli as the ball went on to hit the edge and Steve Smith, who was placed at the second slip, took a blinder to dismiss the Indian batter. Smith dived towards the right, grabbed the ball and tossed it upwards as Marnus Labuschagne took the catch.
As the Australians were celebrating, the on-field handed over the decision to the third umpire, who then revealed that the ball first touched the ground before Smith got his hands on it. Hence, Kohli got a crucial lifeline on the first delivery.
The drama does not stop here. On completion of the over, both Kohli and Smith were seen exchanging a few words.
Smith came out during lunch and reacquainted himself with the incident while maintaining his stance, stating that he had gotten his hands underneath the ball and that it was a complete catch.
Even ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting was completely in disagreement with the decision made by the third umpire.
“I think if (the ball) had’ve come out of (Smith’s) hand, he wouldn’t be able to scoop it up. That’s what I’m saying, I think his fingers are clearly underneath the ball… look where his pointer figure is there, it’s still underneath the ball,” Ponting said while commentating on the event with 7Cricket.
