Legendary West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor admitted that giving Sachin Tendulkar out LBW in the 2003-04 Gabba Test was a mistake. Bucknor, now 79, was one of the most regarded match officials of his day, having officiated over 120 Tests and served on the umpiring panel at several World Cups.
However, he is best remembered for making a series of difficult judgments against Tendulkar, which were frequently made during high-profile matches and are still debated across the world.
Bucknor gave Tendulkar out incorrectly on several occasions, but the biggest surprise is that one of the greatest batters evers was sent back to the pavilion after Bucknor believed Jason Gillespie had Tendulkar plumb in front of the wicket in the Brisbane Test between India and Australia during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
This was one of the most talked about decisions, as Tendulkar had to go back to the pavilion 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 and the Australian team.
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However, 22 years later, Bucknor has finally admitted that he was mistaken in his decision and that Tendulkar should not have been called out because the ball clearly missed 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.
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,” Bucknor said in an interview with the West Indies Cricket Umpires' Association.
