Steve Smith Reacts To Virat Kohli’s Catch, Says “100 Per Cent” Sure Of Getting His Hand Under The Ball

January 3, 2025: In the first session of Day 1 of the Sydney Test between India and Australia, the drama surrounding Virat Kohli’s near-dismissal generated significant attention. Kohli, who had just walked in to replace Yashasvi Jaiswal at the crease, faced a tough challenge from Australian pacer Scott Boland. On his very first ball, Kohli edged a length delivery that was collected by Steve Smith, who was positioned at first slip.

However, the catch wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. The ball appeared to touch the ground just before Smith scooped it up, and the on-field umpires immediately referred the decision to the third umpire, Joel Wilson. After reviewing all available angles, Wilson upheld the decision in favor of India, declaring Kohli not out.

Smith, when speaking to Fox Sports after the first session, was adamant that he was certain of getting a hand under the ball, saying, “100%. No denying it whatsoever, 100%.” However, he also acknowledged that the umpire had made the final decision, and the team had to move on from the incident.

Kohli was lucky to survive that scare, but he couldn’t capitalize fully on the reprieve. He went on to score 12 runs from 48 balls before he was dismissed shortly after the lunch break, edging one to the slip fielders. At Lunch, India was 57/3, with Kohli (12*) still at the crease, but soon after, Shubman Gill, who had looked solid, was dismissed for 20 runs, leaving India in a precarious position.

The match also saw a surprising moment earlier, as India’s star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, appeared in a blazer to announce that Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, had opted to rest for the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which caught many fans off-guard.