Virat Kohli out or not out in Sydney Test? Who is saying what | Cricket News
The Australian cricket team were in raptures after what appeared to be an incredible team catch off Virat Kohli’s first ball on the first day of the fifth Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, third umpire Joel Wilson gave it not out.
Virat Kohli edged it to Steve Smith in the slips. He dived low to his right and popped the ball up with Marnus Labuchagne taking the catch but it was given not out third umpire Joel Wilson as it looked like the ball just kissed the turf from Smith’s hand.
The decision has divided the opinions.
Former Australia opener and coach Justin Langer said Kohli should have been given out.
“From what I have seen there, that makes it more obvious to me that should have been out. Steve Smith had his fingers (underneath the ball), and you could see he was flicking the ball up, it was brilliant what he did,” he said on 7 Cricket.
“He had his fingers under the ball, he flicked it up deliberately and in my opinion that’s out.”
Former Australia captain also echoed with Langee’s view.
“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,” he said on 7 Cricket.
“I think his fingers are clearly underneath the ball … look where his pointer figure is there, it’s still underneath the ball.”
Former Test umpire Simon Taufel on Channel 7 explained why the Virat Kohli first-ball review was hard to judge.
“I think you described it very well when you said that depending upon which side of the fence you sit on you could probably build a case for either decision to be given,” he said.
“Lening to Joel Wilson’s language there, where he said the fingers were underneath the ball and then he’s seen it roll on to the ground, his own language he is telling us that he believes he’s seeing that ball on the ground.
“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.
“And here’s the challenge, slowing it right down with slow-mo. Play it at real speed and it looks pretty good.
“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.
“But here’s the problem: the on-field umpire’s no longer have the soft signal and make the decision, it’s purely in the hands of the television umpire now.”
In the Fox Cricket commentary, Mark Waugh felt it was out.
“Virat Kohli will breath a huge sigh of relief, Australian fans will feel they’ve been robbed, Indian fans (it’s) desperate relief,” Isa Guha said on Fox Cricket.
Mark Waugh believes the finger was underneath the ball when it touched the turf.
“It would’ve been a great catch … I think it was … he’s not happy,” he said.
“You see his right finger just underneath it … I think he’s got away with one there Kohli.”
“Those ones looks so close, it’s hard to tell,” Allan Border added.
Virat Kohli was not out which was rightly called NOT OUT. will explain during the break.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 3, 2025
Former India all-rounder said Kohli was rightly given not out the third umpire.
“Virat Kohli was not out which was rightly called NOT OUT. will explain during the break,” Pathan wrote on X.
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