'Give him boxing gloves': Sachin Tendulkar's dig at umpire Steve Bucknor

Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Bucknor

What Sachin Tendulkar said on not having a century at Lord's

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NEW DELHI: Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar reminisced about his on-field duels with Australian greats Glenn McGrath and the late spin maestro Shane Warne , while also sharing a light-hearted remark about former international umpire Steve Bucknor , who gave several controversial decisions against him during his career.During an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit, Sachin walked down memory lane, offering fascinating insights into the modern game.When asked if he had ever deliberately played a false shot to upset a bowler’s rhythm or test his reaction, Sachin said, "Yes, on many occasions I have played risky shots to break the bowler's rhythm. The one that comes to my mind is against McGrath at Nairobi in 2000."He was referring to the ICC Champions Trophy quarterfinal against Australia in 2000, where McGrath, wicketless until then, tried to dominate the opening pair of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin. In response, Sachin went on the attack, hammering him for two boundaries and three sixes in his 38 off 37 balls, featuring three fours and three sixes. His brisk 66-run opening stand with Ganguly set the stage for debutant Yuvraj Singh’s match-winning 84, guiding India to 265/9. McGrath finished wicketless, conceding 61 runs in nine overs.Australia were bowled out for 245, and India marched into the semifinals before losing to New Zealand in the final, where Chris Cairns starred with a century.Sachin also recalled his fierce battles with Warne, one of cricket ’s most talked-about rivalries. Asked who had advised him on playing sweep shots against the legendary leg-spinner, Sachin replied, "No one, I did it myself. I had a different stance for him when he bowled over the wicket and when he went around the wicket."That statement underlined his dominance over Warne, who struggled to dismiss him despite being one of the greatest spinners. In their head-to-head battles, Sachin scored 123 runs off 172 balls at a strike rate above 71, striking 16 fours and a six, without losing his wicket to Warne.Overall, Sachin had an outstanding record against Australia across formats, amassing 6,707 runs in 110 matches at an average of 49.68, with 20 centuries and 31 fifties, including a highest score of 241*.When the discussion turned to former umpire Bucknor, who had controversially ruled him out several times, Sachin responded with humour. "When I am batting, give him boxing gloves to wear (so he can't raise his finger)," he quipped.Sachin remains international cricket’s all-time leading run-scorer with 34,357 runs, 100 centuries, and 164 half-centuries in 664 matches. He was also part of India’s historic 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup-winning squad.

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