Border-Gavaskar Trophy is one of the on-field rivalries fans wait to watch. Over the years, the series witnessed several controversial moments, including India's tour Down Under in 2008-09. This particular series is also remembered for the controversial Sydney Test, involving veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh and the late Andrew Symonds as well.

“There were a lot of edges but Bucknor saab didn’t give anything out" - Harbhajan Singh

The 'Monkeygate' incident involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds made headlines, where all the umpires involved came under the scanner for giving several controversial calls as well. And, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has now recalled memories from that Test, saying that umpire Steve Bucknor made his debut for Australia in that series. He had given Symonds not out when he had clearly edged the ball to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni as well.

“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.

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Steve Bucknor had opened up on making umpiring errors

During the Sydney Test way back in 2008, Steve Bucknor also did not refer a stumping call to the third umpire as well. However, replays clearly showed that the then wicketkeeper MS Dhoni took off the bails in time to catch Andrew Symonds out of the crease as well. However, there were several other umpiring errors in the Sydney Test. Moreover, Mark Benson had given Ricky Ponting not out when he had edged Sourav Ganguly's delivery down the legside as well.

On the other hand, veteran Australian batter Michael Clarke also took a low catch of Sourav Ganguly in the final innings, but the replays showed that the Australian had touched the ball on the ground. And, veteran Ricky Ponting had famously raised his finger back then, asking the umpire to give it out.

Earlier, in 2020, Steve Bucknor had given away a couple of errors he had made in that Test as well.

“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.

However, Steve Bucknor was eventually removed from umpiring the third Test in Perth by ICC. The umpiring howlers had shown India losing the Sydney Test by 122 runs as well.