There's Sachin Tendulkar, with that bat; and there's Steve Bucknor, with the finger. Cricket fans in India know the story, and the controversies surrounding the dismissals of their beloved star would occupy headlines for days. (More Cricket News)
But a sense of conclusion was reached when Bucknor, who had a history of gaffes with India, admitted that he had indeed given Tendulkar wrongly at least on two occasions -- at Gabba in 2003 and at Eden Gardens in 2005.
"Tendulkar was given out on two different occasions when those were mistakes. I do not think any umpire would want to do a wrong thing. It lives with him and his future could be jeopardised," Bucknor said on Mason and Guests radio programme in Barbados.
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Tendulkar was adjudged LBW against a Jason Gillespie delivery during India's tour of Australia in 2003-04 but now agreed that the ball was going over the wickets.
Bucknor also admitted that Tendulkar hadn't edged an Abdul Razzaq delivery in 2005 during India vs Pakistan Test match.
"To err is human? Once in Australia, I gave him out leg before wicket and the ball was going over the top. Another time, in India it was caught behind. The ball deviated after passing the bat but there was no touch. But the match was at Eden Gardens and when you are at the Eden and India is batting, you hear nothing.
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"Because 100,000 spectators are making noise. Those were the mistakes and I was unhappy. I am saying a human is going to make mistakes and accepting mistakes are part of life," he added.
He stood for the final time in the Test between South Africa and Australia at Cape Town in 2009.
But Bucknor had a history with India, with the first run-in happening in 1992-93. He refused to refer a run-out decision against South African Jonty Rhodes to the third umpire.
"Sure, players make mistakes, umpires make mistakes," an Indian player who saw Bucknor in action from close quarters on the 2003-04 tour of Australia told Outlook. "But while many other umpires apologise for their errors, Bucknor seems to take a sense of pride in giving batsmen out."
"Tendulkar got the worst of it, and then there were so many decisions that should have gone against Australia—Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh," he said, not willing to be named, understandably.
"Bucknor seems proud, even arrogant on the field. I think he’s lost the respect of players over the last few years. There’ve been so many instances against us, one can’t help but suspect there’s a bias, some grudge against India."
