"He's got away with one there" - Former Australian batter delivers verdict on contentious Virat Kohli call in BGT 2024-25 5th Test

Former Australia batter Mark Waugh felt that the third umpire did not make the right decision regarding Virat Kohli's potential dismissal in the slips. The ace Indian player nicked one to Steve Smith off the very first ball of his innings but managed to survive as the fielder seemed to have grounded the cherry during the attempt to lob it over to the man at gully.

Steve Smith and the Australian camp were sure of the catch and instantly erupted to celebrate the wicket. The on-field umpire sent the decision upstairs, where third umpire Joel Wilson declared the not-out verdict after he was convinced by an angle where the ball seemed to have made contact with the ground.

Smith was left in disbelief after Kohli was awarded a second life. The contentious call could have a huge say in the game as India would have been reduced to 17-3, if the verdict was opposite.

Mark Waugh claimed that Smith had taken the catch cleanly, and Kohli was lucky to be still at the crease.

“I think that’s out... I think he’s made the second movement to get his fingers underneath it. He’s got away with one there Kohli," Waugh said on Fox Sports

Former Australia captain Allan Border and former England captain Michael Vaughan also agreed with his comments.

"To me that’s just out," Border said on Fox Sports

Team India were on the receiving end of a contentious call during the fourth Test in Melbourne, when the Snicko seemed to have malfunctioned during Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal. On this occasion, India may have had a slice of fortune, and perhaps when it was needed the most.

Kohli gets to double figures after surviving a nervy phase of play

The ace batter is at his watchful best in the first session at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He had to switch on after almost being dismissed for a duck in the eighth over. He got to nine runs by the 13th over but did not score a single run for the next five overs.

He finally ended the string of dot balls with a straight drive off Mitchell Starc in the 19th over. Currently batting on 11 runs off 34 deliveries, the right-handed batter has a huge role to play with India placed at 50-2.