'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.'
In the summer of 2003-2004 at the Gabba in Brisbane, Sachin Tendulkar shouldered arms to a delivery from Jason Gillespie. The ball struck his pad. The Australians went up in chorus -- Gillespie, Adam Gilchrist and company appealing with gusto.
Up went the finger of Steve Bucknor.
Key Points
- The incident remains one of the most debated umpiring calls in India-Australia cricket history.
- Replays showed the ball was missing the stumps, but Bucknor raised his finger after a strong Australian appeal.
- Tendulkar later joked about Bucknor, saying he should wear 'boxing gloves' while officiating his innings.
Tendulkar, batting on three, stood momentarily stunned. So did millions watching back home. Replays suggested the ball was climbing over the stumps. In the commentary box, Tony Greig did not mince words.
'That is a dreadful decision. Have a look at this, look at the bounce and movement.'
It was not merely an error in judgment. It became a flashpoint and another entry in what Indian fans believed was a growing ledger of contentious calls involving Bucknor and their most prized batsman.
Bucknor, one of the most experienced umpires of his era with over 120 Tests and multiple World Cups to his name, suddenly found his reputation in India tethered to a raised finger.
Twenty-two years on, the 79 year old has finally broken his silence.
'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 interaction 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.'
When Bucknor wrongly adjudged Tendulkar out against Pakistan
The admission settles a debate that refused to die. Bucknor conceded what replays had long indicated that the ball was missing the stumps.
The Brisbane decision was not an isolated episode. In 2005, during an India-Pakistan encounter, Bucknor adjudged Tendulkar caught behind off Abdul Razzaq despite no evident contact. Each episode deepened the perception of a fraught equation between umpire and batsman.
Years later, Tendulkar addressed it with characteristic lightness. During an online interaction, when asked about Bucknor, he quipped: 'When I am batting, give him boxing gloves to wear (so he can't raise his finger).
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