Washington Sundar expressed disappointment as India faced yet another contentious umpiring decision during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On the fifth day of the Melbourne Test, Yashavi Jaiswal was ruled out by third umpire Sailkat based solely on visual evidence. Similarly, on the first day of the Sydney Test, third umpire Joel Wilson overturned an on-field not-out decision despite the lack of definitive proof.

The incident occurred on the final ball of the 66th over in India's first innings when Australia's captain bowled a short delivery to Sundar, who was attempting to score quickly to bolster India's total. In a scenario reminiscent of Jaiswal's dismissal, Sundar attempted a pull shot but did not make contact. The Australian team, led by wicketkeeper Alex Carey, made a subdued appeal, which was initially dismissed by umpire Saikat.

Carey managed to persuade a reluctant Pat Cummins to initiate a DRS review. The UltraEdge technology detected faint sounds throughout the delivery, capturing a frame just after the ball had passed Sundar's gloves. Unlike Jaiswal's situation, there was no clear visual evidence, and it can be argued that the inconsistent sounds on UltraEdge were insufficiently conclusive. Nevertheless, umpire Wilson reached a different conclusion and ruled Sundar out.

"There's a spike on the Ultra Edge; the ball is very close to the glove. I can't see any gap between the ball and the glove... Yes, I have a spike. There is no gap between the bat and the ball. Back on the field, you will need to change your decision from not out to out," Wilson stated while reversing the original call.

This decision was met with discontent from Indian fans and analysts alike. India's stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, made his displeasure known to the umpires regarding the ruling on Sundar when he came to bat in place of the all-rounder.

However, former umpire Simon Taufel provided an explanation as to why umpire Wilson's decision to rule Sundar out should not be criticized.

India on the backfoot in Sydney

The series finale commenced with a dramatic turn as India's captain, Rohit Sharma, chose to withdraw from the match due to his recent poor performance. Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and elected to bat first on the series' most verdant pitch, a decision that proved to be ill-fated as India's batsmen once again faltered against the Australian pace attack, resulting in their dismissal for a mere 185 runs.

At the close of play, Australia stood at 9 for 1, with stand-in skipper Bumrah sending the out-of-form Usman Khawaja (2) back to the pavilion.

Teenage prodigy Sam Konstas remained not out on 7 after striking Bumrah for a boundary on his very first ball. The 19-year-old also engaged in a lively exchange with the Indian bowler.

Bumrah's decision to bat in overcast conditions, coupled with the overly defensive tactics employed by the Indian batsmen, exacerbated their difficulties. Scott Boland's exceptional bowling figures of 20 overs, 8 maidens, 31 runs, and 4 wickets left the Indian lineup in disarray.

Mitchell Starc (18 overs, 5 maidens, 49 runs, 3 wickets) and Pat Cummins (15.2 overs, 4 maidens, 37 runs, 2 wickets) were equally unyielding, providing the Indian batsmen with no opportunities for aggressive shots.

Read Also: Bumrah's Icy Stare: The Aftermath of His Heated Exchange with Sam Konstas

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