When it comes to Sachin Tendulkar, Indian fans not only remember all his iconic knocks but they also vividly remember each time he missed out on scoring big. While the ‘shoulder before wicket’ dismissal will forever upset fans, there is also the dismissal from the 2007 Trent Bridge Test that doesn’t bring up fond memories.
In that match, Tendulkar was batting on 91 when he was incorrectly adjudged LBW by umpire Simon Taufel. The right-hander left a delivery from medium-pacer Paul Collingwood that nipped back and struck him on the front pad. On first viewing, it was clear that the ball had struck the pad well outside off stump but Taufel raised his finger nonetheless.
Tendulkar stood at the crease in disbelief for a few moments before walking off. The former India captain wasn’t ever known to be too expressive after umpiring decisions but his displeasure at that decision was there for all to see. Replays immediately showed that the ball was going over the off-stump.
Go to 32 minutes and 20 seconds in the video below to watch Tendulkar’s dismissal:
India went on to complete a famous win in that Test under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy, and eventually clinched the series 1-0.
Now, in an episode of the 22 Yarns podcast hosted by Gaurav Kapur, Taufel has spoken about that dismissal of Tendulkar and how his relationship with the legend grew from that day onward.
Here’s what Taufel had to say:
“The following morning I happened to pass by Sachin on my normal morning walk out to the middle […] and I come across Sachin and I said, ‘look, yesterday I got it wrong, you know? I’ve looked at it, I got it wrong.’ He said, ‘look, Simon, I know.’ He said, ‘you’re a good umpire, you don’t often get many wrong, it’s okay, don’t worry about it.’
“And out of that sort of exchange, which wasn’t an apology for the sake of making him feel better or me feel better, it was just an acknowledgement that we were both out there doing our best. This is sport, and I wanted to acknowledge that I knew the fact that he was unhappy, and I was doing my best to make sure that that didn’t happen again. That was really the underlying message.
“[…] I’m a big believer that breakdowns lead to breakthroughs, and I think that was an example where Sachin and I had a moment that wasn’t particularly pleasant, and I wanted him to know that I took my job seriously and I was going to make sure that that didn’t happen again. And I think out of that exchange, that relationship bank account got a massive credit, because I think that breakdown moment did lead to a breakthrough.
“We have an ongoing mutual respect for each other and our abilities, because I’ve got Sachin wrong a number of times, not just on that one occasion. I’ve got the best in the world wrong. And I’ve learned from all those examples, but one thing that will always be with me, apart from those mistakes, is the respect and the trust and the integrity of our relationships as we go forward.”
Quotes courtesy: ESPNcricinfo
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!