Former India opener Aakash Chopra recalled an incident from India’s historic tour of Pakistan in 2004. This tour was a huge one as India traveled to the neighboring country for the first time since 1989 and played 3 Tests and 5 ODIs, winning both series.

Chopra revealed how he was wrongly adjudged lbw by Steve Bucknor during the Lahore Test and how the decision came during a crucial innings as his place in the playing XI was on the line. He stated that he was adjudged out LBW by Bucknor off the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar, though the ball had taken the inside edge of his bat onto his pads.

"The man actually took pleasure in telling me that he gave me out. It was the second Test match in Lahore; I got an inside edge off Shoaib's ball. My place was hanging in the balance because Saurav was coming back; he had already said Yuvraj Singh is going to open, but my second inning was not done yet, so I could still score runs and save my place.

I got an inside edge, and the ball hit the pad. He gave it out. I was distraught. There was no DRS back then. It was a very important knock as I was 100 percent going to get dropped in Rawalpindi if I didn't score,” Chopra said on the YouTube channel Khaane Mein Kya Hai.

Chopra disclosed that Bucknor even mentioned the decision to a hotel receptionist the next day.

"Then he (Steve Bucknor) met me at the reception of the hotel. He was standing next to me and telling the receptionist, 'I gave him out. 'Why are you so proud of that? There was an inside edge. Now what is this? He was crazy,” he added.

Chopra managed just 4 and 5 runs in the Lahore Test and was dropped for the third and final Test in Rawalpindi as Yuvraj Singh opened for India.

Steve Bucknor made difficult decisions that frequently went against India, according to Aakash Chopra. He joked that since the umpire was dozing off during the game, the Indian team even thought about sending a cushion to his room.

"He (Steve Bucknor) was against India. There was a Test match in Sydney where we actually said, 'Let's send a pillow to his room,' because he was sleeping. We should have won that Test match. He didn't give out when Justin Langer was hit on the pad in front of the middle. Just take the pillow if you want to sleep,” he added.

Bucknor officiated in 309 international matches, including five consecutive ODI World Cup finals from 1992 to 2007. He retired from officiating in 2009 after a 20-year career.