In a significant revelation concerning one of cricket's most debated umpiring decisions, former West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor has officially admitted to making a mistake, while the incident dates back 22 years to the 2003-04 India tour of Australia, specifically during the Brisbane Test. Bucknor, now 79, acknowledged that his decision to rule Sachin Tendulkar out was incorrect, a statement that has reignited discussions across the cricketing world.
The Controversial LBW Decision at Brisbane
The incident occurred during the first Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane in December 2003. Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was at the crease when a delivery from Australian pacer Jason Gillespie struck his pads. Following a loud appeal from the Australian side, Bucknor raised his finger to declare Tendulkar LBW. At the time, Tendulkar had scored only 3 runs. Television replays immediately showed that the ball was comfortably clearing the top of the stumps, while the late commentator Tony Greig had described the decision as a terrible one during the live broadcast.
Bucknor's Formal Admission After Two Decades
Speaking in an interview with the West Indies Cricket Umpires Association, Steve Bucknor reflected on his long career and specifically mentioned the Tendulkar dismissal. According to Bucknor, he now accepts that the LBW decision was a human error. He stated that mistakes are part of life and that particular decision continues to be discussed by fans and experts even today. Bucknor noted that during that era, umpires didn't have the luxury of multiple camera angles or advanced technology to assist their on-field calls.
Recurring Umpiring Disputes Involving Tendulkar
The relationship between Steve Bucknor's decisions and Sachin Tendulkar has been a subject of scrutiny for years. Beyond the Brisbane Test, another notable incident occurred in 2005 during an India-Pakistan match in Kolkata. Bucknor had ruled Tendulkar caught behind off Abdul Razzaq's bowling, despite replays suggesting no contact between the bat and the ball. Tendulkar himself has occasionally commented on these instances with humor, once suggesting in an interactive session that umpires should perhaps wear boxing gloves to prevent them from raising their fingers prematurely.
Impact of Human Error in Pre-DRS Era
Bucknor's admission highlights the challenges faced by match officials before the implementation of the Decision Review System (DRS). During his career, which spanned 128 Tests and 181 ODIs, Bucknor was considered one of the most experienced umpires, yet his tenure was often marked by high-profile errors involving Indian players. Experts suggest that such mistakes often altered the course of matches, emphasizing why the introduction of ball-tracking technology and ultra-edge became necessary for the modern game to ensure higher accuracy in officiating.