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Virat Kohli has survived being out for a golden duck by a blade of grass after third umpire Joel Wilson controversially ruled the ball touched the turf as Steve Smith tried to complete what would have been a bizarre catch off Scott Boland.
Smith dived to his right and grasped the ball but flicked it up as he fell to the turf with Marnus Labuschagne snaring it from gully mid-air.
Kohli stood his ground and the umpires called for a review and Australia’s long-time nemesis, Joel Wilson, ruled the ball had just scraped the ground despite replays appearing to show Smith had kept it above the turf as he hurled himself at full stretch.
Steve Smith celebrates after Virat Kohli edged the ball to slips first ball. (Photo by Morgan Hancock – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Former Australia coach Justin Langer on Seven commentary was adamant that Boland was denied a fair dismissal.
“His fingers were under the ball. Looked to me as if he was instinctively looking to flick the ball straight up. In my view the finger was still under the ball. That should have been a great catch for Australia,” he said.
India had already lost both openers with KL Rahul dismissed by Mitchell Starc for four and Boland removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 10 via a sharp catch at third slip to debutant Beau Webster.
Bumrah praises Rohit for ‘opting out’
India will bat first in the must-win fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the SCG, with new captain Jasprit Bumrah winning the toss.
Bumrah’s presence officially confirmed that skipper Rohit Sharma will indeed be on the sidelines in Sydney, after the story broke on match eve that he had stood himself down from the match amid a wretched run of form.
With fast bowler Akash Deep ruled out due to a back injury, the visitors made two changes, with Shubman Gill replacing Sharma and Prasidh Krishna coming in for his third Test as the third seamer.
Speaking at the toss, Bumrah praised Sharma for his selfless decision to step aside.
“Obviously our captain has shown his leadership – he’s opted to rest in this game,” he said.
“That shows that there’s a lot of unity in our team – there’s no selfishness. Whatever is in the team’s best interests, we are looking to do that.”
Australian captain Pat Cummins confirmed the hosts’ sole change, with all-rounder Beau Webster coming in for his Test debut at the expense of Mitchell Marsh.
With the SCG pitch looking uncharacteristically green heading into the match, former great Mark Waugh described it as a ‘good toss to lose’ for Cummins, while Steve Smith believes the wicket is ‘greener than I’ve ever seen it’.
Cummins, however, said at the toss he would have chosen to bat as well.
Marsh praised for touching act for debutant’s family
Mitchell Marsh may no longer be in the Test team – but his standing as the best bloke in Australian cricket remains unchallenged.
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Having been omitted from the XI for the fifth Test for debutant Beau Webster amid a poor run of form with the bat, the 33-year old was praised by Pat Cummins for his classy response to the Tasmanian’s elevation after being told the bad news on match eve.
“The first thing he said was, ‘I can’t wait for Beau to go out there and give it a crack’,” Cummins said of Marsh, who also gave Webster a hug and wished him good luck.
The popular all-rounder then went a step further before play on Day 1, making sure to congratulate every member of Webster’s family on hand for his baggy green presentation.
Webster was quickly into the action on Test debut, plucking a low catch at third slip off Scott Boland to see the back of Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
