'Harbhajan Singh reflects on the controversial 2008 Sydney 'Monkeygate' Test involving Steve Bucknor'

The 'Monkeygate' controversy involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds may have dominated the headlines, but it was also a moment that put the umpires under scrutiny for their questionable calls during the match.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has now recalled memories from that Test, saying umpire Steve Bucknor made his debut for Australia in that series. The former international umpire had given Symonds not out when he had clearly edged the ball to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni.

“There were a lot of edges but Bucknor saab didn’t give anything out. There were edges, there were appeals, and at one point Ricky Ponting caught one and gave it out himself," Harbhajan Singh said while doing Hindi commentary for Star Sports.

"In that series, Bucknor made his debut for Australia. He played so well in that match for them. The only thing he was interested in was being the 12th man," he added.

During the Sydney Test in 2008, Steve Bucknor also did not refer a stumping call to the third umpire. Replays clearly showed that MS Dhoni took off the bails in time to catch Andrew Symonds out of the crease.

There were several other umpiring errors in the Sydney Test. Mark Benson had given Ricky Ponting not out when the right-hander had edged Sourav Ganguly's delivery down the legside.

Michael Clarke also took a low catch of Sourav Ganguly in the final innings, however, the replays indicated that the Australian had touched the ball on the ground. Ricky Ponting had famously raised his finger back then, prompting the umpire to give it out.

Earlier, in 2020, Steve Bucknor had conceded a couple of errors he had made in that Test.

“I made two mistakes in the Sydney Test in 2008,” he told Mid-Day.

“Mistake one, which happened when India were doing well, allowed an Australian batsman to get a hundred. Mistake two, on day five, might have cost India the game. But still, they are two mistakes over five days. Was I the first umpire to make two mistakes in a Test? Still, those two mistakes seem to have haunted me," he added.

Steve Bucknor was eventually removed from officiating the third Test in Perth by ICC. The umpiring howlers had resulted in India losing the Sydney Test by 122 runs.