Irfan Pathan lashes out at Steve Bucknor for umpiring blunders in 2008 Sydney Test match

Irfan Pathan has criticised controversial umpire Steve Buckr after he h accepted that he h committed a few blunders in 2008 Sydney Test match between India and Australia. In that series, Australia were led by Ricky Ponting while Anil Kumble was India's n Test skipper. 

Recalling infamous 2008 Sydney Test match, Steve Buckr revealed that two of his mistakes might have cost India contest that y should have rightfully won. India h alrey lost previous Test match and loss at SCG was indeed a turning point as Anil Kumble-led side went on to lose series 2-1 despite registering a famous win at Perth in following Test. fourth and final match at elaide Oval ended in a stalemate. After that Test match, West Indian umpire was removed from on-field umpires' list which meant that he could t officiate in any match for remainder of that series.

' matter how much...': Irfan Pathan

“ matter how much you accept your mistakes, what’s done is done, we lost Test match. I remember, I played my first Test in Australia that was in elaide, my debut game (in December 2003)and we won that Test after 21 years in Australia and losing a Test match, just because of umpiring errors? t going to make any difference, matter what umpires say w" said Pathan while interacting on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

“As a cricketer, we’re used to getting b decisions, sometimes in our bowling, sometimes in our batting. And we get frustrated by that and n we forget about it. But this Sydney Test match, it was t just one mistake. re were about seven mistakes that cost us game. re were mistakes where Andrew Symonds was playing, and he got out nearly, I remember, three times, and umpire didn’t give him out",   veteran all-rounder ded.

“He was Man of Match, we lost by 122 runs. If only one decision against Andrew Symonds would have been corrected, we would have won that game easily,” cricketer-turned-commentator/analyst ded.

controversial Sydney Test match

It so happened that star off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and all-rounder Andrew Symonds were involved in a heated exchange during that contest and when Bhajji h used a cuss word in Hindi, Australians misunderstood him and thought that he h racially abused Symonds by calling him a 'Monkey'. refore, this Test match is also famous for 'Monkeygate' incident.

Apart from 'Monkeygate' scandal, Test match was also kwn for some horrendous umpiring where all decisions h gone against India and in favor of hosts which eventually cost Anil Kumble-led side match.  neless, a spirited Indian team settled scores when y beat Ponting & Co. in following Test match at Perth. 

RE: Steve Buckr Recalls Two Of His Umpiring Blunders In Infamous 2008 Sydney Test

(Im Courtesy: AP)