Umpire bats for Australia, declares Sachin out again

So rattled was the umpire at his own decision that he declared over after only five balls. It was an appalling decision which only underlines the umpiring standards in Australia, unless you want to read much more into it — the Indians, given their past experience of Australia are definitely doing that. Surely when the best batsman, not only of the team but of the world as well is controversially given out in both innings of the same Test, what does one make of it?

The Australians, in defence of the umpire, can cite the reprieve Harper gave Saurav Ganguly when the batsman may have gloved a short ball from Mike Kasporowicz to the wicketkeeper. Well, these are two different points of view but the fact is that the umpiring in this Test has been well below par.

Commentators were divided in their opinion on the matter. Ian Chappell suggested Tendulkar was not out but Mark Taylor and Richie Benaud felt Harper might have made a “courageous” decision.

Yet, to put the entire blame for the dismal Indian show on that one decision of Tendulkar’s would be absolving India. In fact, when Tendulkar had come into bat, after the Australians had given them a day tomorrow and 26 overs today to either bat out for a draw or make 396 runs for victory, the Indian scorecard was reading 24 for three.

Having been a victim of a questionable decision for the second time in the match and from the same umpire, Tendulkar might begin to believe he is being targeted not only by the Australian bowlers.

Tendulkar is a short man, but even then it is questionable whether the ball would have hit the stumps. For the delivery had a lot of bounce and would have risen over the stumps. It is not common for umpires to rule against the batsman when the ball has hit some part of the body or the helmet instead of the pads.