The kids of today would not understand the kind of impact the West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor had on the fans of the Indian cricket team and Sachin Tendulkar. Bucknor, now 79, was one of the most respected match officials of his time, officiating more than 120 Tests and serving on the umpiring panel at multiple World Cups. However, to this day, he is known for issuing a series of contentious decisions against the Master Blaster, and these calls more often than not came in the most high-profile matches, and the decisions are still dissected around the world.
Bucknor adjudged Tendulkar out wrongly on multiple occasions, but the biggest shocker remains how the greatest batter to ever play the game was sent back to the pavilion, after the Windies official thought that Jason Gillespie caught Tendulkar plumb in front of the wicket in the Brisbane Test between India and Australia.
The biggest flashpoint came in the 2003-04 Test between India and Australia at the Gabba. Tendulkar was at the peak of his powers back in the day, but he went back to the hut in the first innings for a three-ball duck after Bucknor raised his finger in a matter of seconds following a loud appeal from Gillespie, wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist and the rest of the Australian team.
However, 22 years later, Bucknor has finally admitted that he was wrong in his judgment and Tendulkar shouldn’t have been given out as the ball was clearly missing the stumps.
“Giving Sachin Tendulkar out leg before wicket, and it’s a matter of knowing that it was a mistake, but until this day, every day, people talk about it,” Bucknor said in an interview with the West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association.
“Why did I give him out? Was he out and so on? But then in life, mistakes happen. I have accepted that it was a mistake, and life goes on,” he added.
How did the dismissal come about?
Speaking of Tendulkar’s dismissal, the right-handed batter tried to leave the ball but was struck on the pads, following which Gillespie and the rest of the Australians appealed in front of Bucknor. The seasoned umpire gave it out; however, he clearly misjudged the ball’s height. Tendulkar had misread the movement, shouldering arms to a delivery that pitched outside off and came back sharply to hit him in line.
When Bucknor raised his finger, Tendulkar was in visible shock and couldn’t believe that the umpire actually raised his finger. Tony Greig, who was on commentary at that time, shared the sentiment, immediately calling it a “dreadful decision.” The replays also showed the ball was going way above the stumps, proving Bucknow made a horror call that ended Tendulkar’s innings.
“That is a dreadful decision. Have a look at this, look at the bounce and movement,” said Greig.
This was not the only time when Bucknor stunned Tendulkar. Two years after the Brisbane incident, in the match between India and Pakistan, Abdul Razzaq’s delivery vroomed past Tendulkar’s bat without making any contact, but Bucknor raised his finger in response to a lukewarm appeal.
The relationship between Bucknor and Tendulkar was summarised best by the Master Blaster last year during an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit.
When a fan asked him to say something about Bucknor, Tendulkar replied, “When I am batting, give him boxing gloves to wear (so he can’t raise his finger.”
