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More than 20 years after one of cricket’s most controversial umpiring decisions, former West Indies official Steve Bucknor has admitted he made a mistake. In a recent interview, the 79-year-old said that giving Sachin Tendulkar out during the 2003–04 Brisbane Test was the wrong decision, a call that had sparked huge debate at the time.
The controversial call from Steve Bucknor to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar
The incident took place during the first Test of the 2003–04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba in Brisbane. Tendulkar was facing Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie when he decided to leave a delivery that came back sharply and hit him high on the pads.
On a bouncy Brisbane pitch, the ball looked like it was going over the stumps. However, after a loud appeal from the Australian players, umpire Bucknor gave Tendulkar out LBW. The decision surprised everyone, as it seemed the ball was too high to hit the stumps. Tendulkar had to walk back without scoring, dismissed for a three-ball duck.
The decision stunned the commentators and fans watching around the world. Former England captain Tony Greig, who was in the commentary box, called it a dreadful decision on air. Years later, Bucknor himself has agreed that it was indeed the wrong call, admitting that he made a mistake that day.
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Buckor opens up on his contentious decision
While speaking to the West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association on February 24, 2026, Bucknor openly talked about the controversial decision that continues to follow him even after so many years. The former umpire admitted that the call to give Sachin Tendulkar out LBW in Brisbane is something he has never been able to completely forget.
Bucknor said that the incident still comes up in conversations almost every day. Fans, journalists, and cricket lovers often remind him of that moment and question why he made that decision. He acknowledged that it was indeed an error and accepted responsibility for it.
“Giving Sachin Tendulkar out leg before wicket… it’s a matter of knowing that it was a mistake. 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,” said Bucknor.
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