Controversy has erupted on the opening morning of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the SCG after Indian maestro Virat Kohli was given not out after appearing to be spectacularly caught behind the wicket.
Australia thought they had picked up the prized wicket of Kohli for a golden duck with the fifth ball of Scott Boland’s first over.
Kohli edged a ball to Steve Smith at second slip, who tried to get his fingers under the ball low to his right.
In a split second, the ball ballooned up from Smith’s right hand up to Marnus Labuschagne at gully as the Australians celebrated what they thought was a fair catch.
The catch was referred upstairs to third umpire Joel Wilson, who ruled the ball had been grassed, prompting Smith to shake his head in disbelief.
“I have the ball just touching the ground. I have a decision for the big screen,” Wilson said on the television broadcast.
Asked by Fox Sports’ Isa Guha as the teams went off for lunch if he had taken the catch, Smith was unequivocal. “No doubting it whatsoever,” he said. “100 per cent.”
Several former Australian greats believe the wrong decision was made and Kohli should have been making his way back to the pavilion for what would have been a sixth golden duck in Tests.
“You can see his fingers clearly under the ball,” Ricky Ponting said on Seven’s broadcast. “Joel [Wilson] said it rolled out the side [and] touched the ground but as far as I was concerned, if it came out of his hand, he wouldn’t have been able to scoop it up because the ball would have rolled away to the side. I think he still had control of the ball even though the ball had touched the grass.”
Members of Fox Cricket’s commentary team believed Kohli was fortunate to survive.
“That’s given out every day of the week but not today?” said Mark Waugh. “I think that’s out. I think it’s very close to touching the grass but I think his finger was underneath it. I think he’s got away with one there, Kohli. I think evidence suggests [Smith’s] finger was under it.”
Virat Kohli edges a ball to Steve Smith at second slip. Credit: Getty Images
Allan Border agreed with Waugh.
“It’s a huge moment this,” the former Test captain said. “It looked like he got enough hand under the ball. It’s hard to tell. To me, that’s just out. I think the Aussies definitely think that was out.”
Justin Langer said on the Seven broadcast: “I happen to sit on the MCC World Cricket Committee at present … and in my opinion, from what I have seen there, that makes it more obvious to me that should have been out.
“You could see he was flicking the ball up. It was brilliant what he did. He had his fingers under the ball, and he flicked it up deliberately and in my opinion that’s out.”
Australia thought they had removed Virat Kohli for a golden duck. Credit: Getty Images
Former Test umpire Simon Taufel said he could see why Wilson gave it not out.
“Depending upon which side of the fence you sit, you could probably build a case for either decision to be given,” 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 the way he’s seen it.
“Normally, the ICC protocol on fair catches is if you see the fingers underneath the ball, that’s good to maintain a fair catch. But here’s the problem: the on-field umpires no longer have the soft signal and make the decision – it’s purely in the hands of the television umpire now.”
Wilson made several contentious calls as a standing umpire on the final day of the fourth Test in Melbourne, including ruling Yashasvi Jaiswal not out when the Indian opener gloved a Pat Cummins delivery to Alex Carey – a decision that was duly overruled by the TV umpire.
Chadd Sayers, who played one Test for Australia in 2018, wrote on social media: “Joel f—ing Wilson!”
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann wrote on X, “Out for mine”, before adding, “I can also see why they have it not out”.
