The controversial Sydney Test between Australia and India in 2008 was not short of drama. The match, apart from being a thriller, is also notorious for a wide range of controversies. The ‘Monkeygate’ controversy between Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh may have been the headliner in the end but there were many dramatic moments during the match and all three umpires involved came under the scanner.
Harbhajan, commentating for Star Sports, re-watched moments of that match and was scathing of Steve Buckner, with the Indian offspinner saying the former international umpire ‘made his debut for Australia’ in that series.
In a video posted by India’s official broadcaster, Harbhajan talks about moments from the match. “There were a lot of edges but Buckner Saab didn’t give anything away. There were edges, there were appeals, and at one point Ricky Ponting caught one and gave it to himself.
When the subject is umpiring during 2007-08 #BorderGavaskarTrophy, @harbhajan_singh Don’t back down! 🫣#AUSvINDOnStar 2nd Test, 2nd Day 👉 LIVE NOW! | #toughest competition pic.twitter.com/Y7PDGLJHMA
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 7, 2024
Harbhajan added in a sarcastic note: “In that series, Buckner made his debut for Australia. He played very well for them in that match (…) All he cared about was being the 12th man.
In a July 2020 interview with Mid-Day, Buckner acknowledged some of the mistakes he made in that test. He said, ‘I made two mistakes in the 2008 Sydney Test. “A mistake, which happened when India was doing well, allowed the Australian batsman to score a century. A second mistake on day five could cost India the match. But still, they are two mistakes in five days. Was I the first umpire to make two mistakes in a Test? Still, those two mistakes seem to bother me.
Buckner was removed from officiating the third Test in Perth by the ICC due to an umpiring error. Despite coming within minutes of a late draw on the fifth day, India lost the Sydney Test by 122 runs.