On Sunday morning in Perth, Virat Kohli got into the record books with his 25 Test century in the ongoing second Test against Australia.
The captain’s knock put India in a good position on a pitch that is tricky to bat on. However, it came to an end with a catch that divided opinions just like the batter dismissed.
Kohli was dismissed on 123 by regular tormentor Pat Cummins, but the catch at second slip by a diving Peter Handscomb raised quite a few eyebrows.
The Indian tried to drive the ball but only managed to get a thick edge that flew to the slips where Handscomb dove low to his right to take it inches off the ground. Or so it seemed from the replays which showed that he got his fingers underneath but not if any part of it was grassed. It was a tough chance for sure and it will go down as a contentious decision that could have a bearing on the series.
They checked it with the third umpire but the soft signal was out and according to the rules, Nigel Llong would have needed conclusive evidence to turn it over.
Kohli saw the replays and walked off ending a superb knock and what was India’s last stand with proper batsman. He hit 11 fours in the battling 214-ball ton after coming to the crease on a fast and bouncy pitch with his team in trouble at 8/2 in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 326
Here’s the catch again, how close is it?
However, many on social media were not convinced it was a clean catch.