Watch! Amidst the experts debates on his "Not Out" decision, Virat Kohli edges one to the slip cordon

The final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) has already provided fans with a day full of drama and entertainment. The match kicked off in style, with Jasprit Bumrah making a bold statement by arriving at the toss in a blazer as the captain. However, the major talking point of the day was Virat Kohli’s controversial “Not Out” decision after being dismissed for a golden duck off Scott Boland. The question arose about whether Steve Smith had his finger underneath the ball when he parried it to Marnus Labuschagne during Kohli's catch, leading to a fierce debate.

Experts have weighed in on the decision, with many discussing whether the catch was truly valid, while Steve Smith himself had his say on the matter. The catch controversy continues to generate a lot of buzz among cricket fans. For those eager to watch the unfolding action between India and Australia, the match is being live-streamed on Hotstar for the fans to enjoy. The intensity of the game is certainly living up to its expectations!

The debate centered around whether Steve Smith completed the catch of Virat Kohli before parrying it to Marnus Labuschagne. In real-time, the catch appeared to be taken cleanly. However, upon reviewing the slow-motion footage, there was a moment where the ball seemed to touch the ground before Smith popped it to Labuschagne. This was one angle of the dismissal; another angle clearly showed the ball underneath Smith's fingers before he released it. Ultimately, the umpires concluded that Virat Kohli was not out, after analyzing several angles that indicated the ball had indeed touched the ground.

When Smith had the opportunity to comment on the decision, he stated, “100%. There is no denying it whatsoever.” He also added that the umpires made their decision, and it was time to move on, providing a straightforward answer.

However, various cricket experts shared differing opinions on the catch. Michael Vaughan took to social media, expressing his belief that Virat Kohli was indeed out, while Irfan Pathan tweeted confidently that Kohli was “NOT OUT” and that the umpires made the correct decision. This sparked a significant mix of opinions and debates among experts on the matter. Adding to the debate, Sanjay Manjrekar also weighed in during his commentary, stating that it was not out and praising the umpire’s decision as the right call. This ongoing discussion highlights the intensity of the moment, with cricket experts continuing to share their diverse perspectives on the controversial decision.

Despite all the discussions, Virat Kohli was dismissed again due to an outside edge, marking the sixth time he has fallen to this type of delivery. He had scored 17 runs before this unlucky dismissal, which had initially been turned down by the umpire. Scott Boland ultimately dismissed Kohli cleanly this time. The curious case of Kohli's outside-off dismissals continues into the New Year, where fans and experts had hoped for a revamped performance, but instead, they witnessed the same pattern of Kohli edging the ball outside off.

With Virat Kohli dismissed in the same fashion, there seems little point in debating whether the umpire's "Not Out" call was the correct decision. Regardless, India’s batting order once again suffered a dramatic collapse, leaving the team in a precarious position. With Australia likely to come out and bat before the Day 1 stumps, the game is far from decided. As tensions rise and the match progresses, the drama is bound to intensify. Stay tuned for live updates and commentary of the thrilling 5th Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as this epic contest unfolds.