First day of the ongoing fifth Test between India and Australia grabbed a lot of limelight due to multiple reasons. The day with Rohit Sharma missing the match and giving the captaincy to Jasprit Bumrah. As everyone was coping with Rohit’s absence, another row escalated after star batter Virat Kohli got embroiled into a controversial call with the third umpire. The incident took place in the 7.5 over of India’s first session when Virat Kohli walked in as he replaced Yashasvi Jaiswal on the crease.
Kohli faced Australia pacer Scott Boland for his first ball. The Aussie pacer delivered a length ball which took an edge from Kohli’s bat and went to Smith in the slips. He scooped it up but the ball just touched the turf before it was taken by Marnus Labuschagne at gully.
The on-field umpire immediately went upstairs, to the third umpire, Joel Wilson who had a good look from all the camera angles and gave his decision in favour of India.
This decision fetched mixed reviews from many former cricketers. Former Test umpire Simon Taufel said that the ICC protocol on fair catches says that if the third umpire sees the fingers underneath the ball, that’s good to maintain a fair catch.
Speaking to Channel 7’s coverage of the Sydney Test, Simon Taufel explained why the review was hard to judge.
“Depending upon which side of the fence you sit on you could probably build a case for either decision to be given. Listening to Joel Wilson’s language there (making the decision), where he said the fingers were underneath the ball and then he’s seen it roll on to the ground, by his own language he is telling us that he believes he’s seeing that ball on the ground,” Taufel was quoted by ICC as saying.
“So, there are two things that the TV umpire here is looking for. One is fingers underneath the ball. He was satisfied there. But then he believes through those pictures that he’s clearly seen the ball on the ground. 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. 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 added.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting completely disagreed with the third umpire’s decision.
“As far as I was concerned, if (the ball) had’ve come out of (Smith’s) hand, he wouldn’t have been 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 on-air during the commentary with 7Cricket.
However, former India all-rounder backed Kohli and stated that the umpire’s decision was absolutely right.
“Virat Kohli was not out which was rightly called NOT OUT. will explain during the break,” Pathan wrote on X.
(With ANI Inputs)
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