Watch: Virat Kohli and Steve Smith's heated exchange after controversial catch at SCG

On the opening day of the fifth Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Virat Kohli narrowly escaped a dismissal, providing fans with a dramatic moment in the match.

The day began with a surprising move, as regular captain Rohit Sharma was rested and star pacer Jasprit Bumrah took over as the stand-in captain for this critical Test.

India's batting woes started early, as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were both dismissed quickly, leaving the team in a tough position. Kohli then joined Shubman Gill at the crease and faced a challenging moment right away.

Just missed a beat there! 🥶

ICYMI, #ViratKohli was dropped by #SteveSmith on the very first ball he faced!#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 5th Test, Day 1 LIVE NOW! | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/iLhCzXCYST

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 3, 2025

On the very first ball he faced, Scott Boland, the Australian pacer, nearly had Kohli caught. The ball edged off Kohli's bat and flew to Steve Smith at second slip, who made a spectacular diving catch to dismiss the Indian batter.

Smith’s swift reaction had the Australian players celebrating, but the on-field umpire referred the decision to the third umpire for further review.

The third umpire’s analysis showed that the ball had initially touched the ground before Smith managed to get his hands on it, leading to Kohli being given a crucial lifeline. This reprieve allowed Kohli to continue batting, avoiding an early exit.

After the over, Kohli and Smith exchanged words, with tensions running high over the controversial incident.

"100%. No denying it whatsoever."

Steve Smith weighs in on whether he got his hand underneath the ball in the biggest moment of the morning. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bqIy8iGIRm

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2025

During the lunch break, Smith spoke up about the incident, defending his actions. He remained firm in his belief that he had successfully caught the ball, claiming that his hands were beneath it and that it was a legitimate catch.

However, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting disagreed with the third umpire’s decision, expressing his opinion during the live commentary. "As far as I was concerned, if (the ball) had've come out of (Smith's) hand, he wouldn't have been able to scoop it up. That's what I'm saying, I think his fingers are clearly underneath the ball... look where his pointer figure is there, it's still underneath the ball," Ponting remarked on-air during the commentary with 7Cricket.

The dramatic incident became a hot topic of conversation, sparking debate over the umpire's decision and fueling discussions about the fairness of the catch. Despite the controversy, Kohli’s escape added intrigue to what promised to be an action-packed day of cricket.