The Dark Tale of 2008



Test Cricket is regarded as the toughest format in Cricket. A cricketer's technique and temperament are tested consistently for five long days. It is played with full passion and aggression and players care test cricket religiously. But, test cricket has its fair share of controversies too. The perfect example of a shameful incident in test cricket was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy of 2007-08.

India was touring Australia for Test and ODI series. The visitors had their chance to win their maiden test series in Australia as in 2003 India was able to level the series. India has become a world-class side until 2008, they had a great batting lineup, ace spinners, and a bunch of talented quicks too. The team was led by cunning Anil Kumble who backed his team & teammates during all those controversies. 



The series became so controversial because of bad umpiring decisions and the Monkey Gate. The instance has come back to light as the Umpire from that series Steve Bucknor has now said that “I made two mistakes in Sydney Test in 2008”. He added, “The first mistake let an Australia score a century and second mistake was on Day 5 that cost India the test match”. Indian commentators and the Indian players who were in Sydney back in 2008 always say India should have won that series, bad umpiring cost them the series.

Despite losing the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India turned the tables in the second test. At one moment, Australia was 135/6 and Andrew Symonds knicked the edge to the keeper off Ishant Sharma. Bucknor gave not out to the most obvious decision. After that Symonds scored 162 not out and took the team total to 487 runs. India in response scored 532 runs and managed to have a 45 run lead. 



In second innings, Australia declared after crossing the 400 run mark and the visitors had the target of 333. Now, it was Bucknor’s turn again and he didn't disappoint Australia. India had a loose start but Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were at the rescue. They had a 61 runs partnership before Dravid has given out off Symonds. It was clearly seen in the replays that the ball off the pad. Later, Ganguly also got out and his decision was not less controversial. He knicked a ball from Brett Lee which went towards slips but was short of Michael Clarke. Clarke picked up the ball and appealed, Bucknor gave that out. MS Dhoni and Kumble tried to save the match but they couldn’t and India lost that match as Clarke took the last three Indian wickets in the second last over of the match.   

Apart from these few instances, many more LBW appeals by the Indians were rejected by the umpires. This test also saw the Monkey Gate scandal. This scandal involved Symonds and Indian ace spinner, Harbhajan Singh. Singh was accused of calling Symonds “A monkey” but he claimed that he didn’t say the word. It was a racial remark and ICC banned the latter for one test match. 

Anil Kumble and the whole Indian team protested against it as they thought it was an injustice against them. India team responded back by winning the third match by 72 runs on the fast Perth pitch. 



Later in 2018, India won the test series against Australia in Australia. Before that in 2003, 2008, 2014 and many other times, India came close to winning a test series in Australia but they finally crossed the finishing line under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. 

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