Umpire Steve Bucknor Admits 22-Year-Old Error; Calls Controversial LBW Call Against Sachin Tendulkar a 'Mistake'

Veteran umpire Steve Bucknor has opened up on one of the hardest decisions he had to live with as an umpire. The former match official reminisced about the infamous LBW call he had made against the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

In today's time, Steve Bucknor is regarded as a bona fide legend in the sport. As an on-field umpire, he has officiated 128 Tests and 181 ODI matches between and 2009. He has also appeared as an umpire in five consecutive World Cup Finals, a milestone that remains unmatched among on-field officials.

Despite his noteworthy achievements and trademark officiating style, Steve Bucknor is largely remembered for being involved in one of cricket's most infamous on-field umpiring decisions, the controversial LBW call against Sachin Tendulkar.

Steve Bucknor Concedes Error Over Controversial Sachin Tendulkar's LBW Dismissal

Twenty-two years on, umpire Steve Bucknor has admitted that giving Sachin Tendulkar an LBW was a mistake and that people still talk about the moment. He further acknowledged that mistakes happen in life and that he had accepted his fault and moved on.

"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 a video shared by the West Indies Cricket Umpires' Association on Instagram.

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What Had Really Happened At That Moment?

During the Gabba Test in the Australia series in 2003-04, Sachin Tendulkar let go of a delivery by Jason Gillespie. The ball crashed onto the Indian batter's pads, and Gillespie and the Aussies started emphatically appealing to Steve Bucknor, who was the on-field umpire during the match-up.

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Steve Bucknor raised his finger, and Sachin Tendulkar was left shellshocked, as he briefly stalled before walking back. Even global cricket fans and pundits criticised the umpire's officiating.

Bucknor faced immense challenges as several of his on-field decisions against Indian players received criticism for being controversial. 'Slow Death Bucknor' primarily made dubious calls against Sachin Tendulkar, which became part of his legacy.

Steve Buckner's unmatched career achievements and controversies have made him one of the most talked-about umpires in the game.