‘Mistakes happen but…’- Umpire Steve Bucknor breaks silence on Sachin Tendulkar’s LBW storm

More than two decades after his controversial decision that disappointed several Indian fans, the former umpire Steve Bucknor has admitted that he didn’t get the dismissal decision against Sachin Tendulkar, which remains the talk of the town. Bucknor retired in 2009 and remains one of the finest umpires in international cricket.

Steve Bucknor had several controversial decisions, but the most talked-about was the one from the Gabba Test in Brisbane from the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when he raised his finger to send back Tendulkar. He was batting on three when Jason Gillespi loudly asked for the leg before the wicket.

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“In life, mistakes happen. 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 expressed this while giving an interview to the West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association.

Steve Bucknow yet to forget wrong dismissal against Sachin Tendulkar

Many experts criticized the call, as commentator Tony Greig described it as a dreadful decision. The match itself ended in a draw, with the former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, scoring a fine knock of 144. That was not the only wrong decision from Bucknor, who gave a wrong caught behind off Abdul Razzaq at the Eden Gardens in 2005.

In 2024, there was a fan interaction with Tendulkar, who claimed that he would love to give boxing gloves to Bucknor if he stood as the umpire when he came to bat. Bucknor stood in 128 Tests between 1989 and 2009 and officiated in five straight World Cup finals from 1992 to 2007, a record that shows how respected he was in the cricketing world.

Bucknor is not part of the job at the moment and stays at home in Jamaica, and perhaps stands in a few club games as the umpire if required. This interaction, though, has gone viral.