Steve Bucknor's umpiring during the 2003 World Cup reinforced his reputation as an umpire who frequently made errors in high-profile matches involving India.
Throughout the 2003 World Cup, Steve Bucknor's decisions came under intense scrutiny, particularly those involving Indian batsmen. His LBW decision against Sachin Tendulkar in the group stage match versus England was the most prominent, but there were other contentious calls throughout the tournament.
Bucknor had a long career as one of the ICC's elite umpires, standing in a record number of Tests. However, his later career was marked by increasing errors, and he became a divisive figure, particularly in Indian cricket circles.
Indian fans compiled lists of his incorrect decisions against their players. Whether or not there was bias — and there is no credible evidence of intentional bias — the statistical pattern of errors against India in high-profile matches was striking.
Bucknor retired from international umpiring in 2009. His legacy is complicated: he was once considered the world's best umpire but is now primarily remembered for the controversies of his final years, particularly the 2008 Sydney Test.
Multiple incorrect decisions across tournaments eroded Bucknor's standing. He retired in 2009 with a complicated legacy.
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals
29 May 2026
The Qualifier 2 toss between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Mullanpur had to be conducted twice after match referee Prakash Bhatt failed to hear Riyan Parag's call — a visible frustration for Shubman Gill who appeared to have won the original toss before the do-over.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders
26 April 2026
Kartik Tyagi bowled two beamers in the final over of LSG's chase but was allowed to continue — umpires called only one dangerous — sparking IPL fury.
Various county and representative sides
1864-06-01
The legalisation of overarm bowling in 1864 created an immediate grey zone: how high could the arm go, and at what point did a fast delivery become an illegal throw? Through the 1860s English cricket struggled with this question as a succession of fast bowlers developed actions that umpires suspected but rarely no-balled, creating a climate of suspicion that would recur in every generation of cricket thereafter.