Aussie cricket lovers have been enraged and baffled by a controversial call on what would have been a ripper catch sending Virat Kohli for a golden duck.
Aussie cricket lovers have been baffled and enraged by a controversial not out decision given for Indian veteran batsman Virat Kohli as the Sydney Test gets off to a roaring start.
India has elected to bat on day one of the Pink Test with both nations desperate for a favourable result as Australia looks to secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
After a heated Boxing Day showdown that saw Australia clinch victory in the final hour of the Test, India got off to a shaky start in the Harbour City with two quick wickets plaguing the side.
It almost looked like the third was guaranteed the following ball when an edge to second slip from Kohli could have meant he was waddling back to change rooms on his first ball.
In what would have been one of the most memorable wickets of the series, Kohli edged the ball to Steve Smith who scooped it up to Marnus Labuschagne in gully off a Scott Boland delivery.
After the Aussies erupted in celebration, the umpires consulted on whether the home team had pulled off the ripper catch.
The decision was taken to third umpire where slowed down footage was showed to viewers.
“I can see the fingers under the ball,” third umpire Joel Wilson is heard saying as he examined the footage.
“It looks like it is rolling on the ground. Do we have another angle?
“He’s got his fingers here but like it rolled to the ground … yeah, that ball (was) just touching the ground.”
Catch? Or grounded?
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Fox Sports commentators Mark Waugh and Allan Border were not convinced of Mr Wilson’s decision, however, telling viewers they felt Kohli should have been given out.
“I think that’s out… I think he’s made the second movement to get his fingers underneath it,” Waugh said.
“He’s got away with one there Kohli.”
Border added: “To me that’s just out … big wicket, big moment.”
Ex-Australia captain and Channel 7 commentator Ricky Ponting also took issue with the call, arguing Smith’s ability to scoop it to Labuschagne meant he still had control of it.
“You can see (Smith’s) fingers clearly underneath the ball and the Joel said that it rolled out the side (and) touched the ground, but as far as I’m concerned if it had have come out of his hand, he wouldn’t have been able to scoop it up,” Ponting said.
“The ball just would’ve rolled away to the side if the ball actually had of come out of his hand.
“I think he still had control of the ball even though the ball had touched the grass.”
Meanwhile, former International Cricket Council umpire and Channel 7 contributor Simon Taufel said he was pleased to be left out of the decision-making on the tight call.
“This is one time where I am really pleased to be sitting at home and having no responsibility whatsoever,” Mr Taufel said.
“I can certainly understand what the third umpire’s done there. He believes he’s seen the ball on the ground and called it way he’s seen it.”
The ex-ICC umpire noted the council’s protocol on instances when there is disagreement on whether the ball scraped the ground.
“Normally the ICC protocol on fair catches is if you see the fingers underneath the ball, that’s good to maintain a fair catch,” he said.
Many on social media however did not share Mr Taufel’s balanced view on the call with some targeting Mr Wilson.
“That was a clear OUT. Only a Blind will give that not out. Joel Wilson has been a disgrace this series,” one incensed X user wrote.
Another opined: “That is an absolutely DISGUSTING decision from Joel Wilson.
“The fact he even says ‘His fingers are under the ball’ but then still says that it touched the ground… How can you have both?”
One wrote: “Joel Wilson should never umpire a game where Australia plays again.”
Australia will secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy if it either wins or draws this Test.
However, an India victory will result in a draw for the series, meaning the south-Asian nation will retain the trophy.
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