When India nearly stepped out of the field

When India nearly stepped out of the field 

Sunil Gavaskar is no stranger to controversy. But certainly the most unseemly incident he was involved with was at Melbourne in February 1981.   

The Aussies were led by Greg Chappell and the line-up included players of the calibre of Dennis Lillee, Doug Walters, Len Pascoe, Allan Border, Kim Hughes, Rod Marsh, Rodney Hogg, Bruce Yardley and Graeme Wood. And when India lost the first Test at Sydney by an innings in three days a clean sweep for the Aussies in the three-match series was well on the cards. But a drawn second Test at Adelaide gave the Indians a ray of hope. Trailing by 182 runs on the first innings India got their act together first by scoring 324 in their second knock and then by bowling out the Australians, requiring only 143 runs for victory, for 83 early on the final morning at Melbourne. As if the great comeback wasn’t dramatic enough the fact that Australia were dismissed for their lowest total in Tests against India in the face of an emaciated bowling attack.

Sunil Gavaskar had been woefully out of form in the series and in the five innings before the Indian second innings he had scored just 48 runs. Finally he found his touch, had reached 70 and with Chetan Chauhan was laying the foundation for a strong fightback when he was adjudged leg before to Lillee. Gavaskar protested that he had played the ball and again and again tried to get this point across, anxious as he was for a big score and for India to get into a winning position.

Even as this little drama was going on Lillee went up to him, pointed to his pad and then as Gavaskar explained later used foul language.

This was too much for Gavaskar who admitted that ``something in me snapped.’’ By now furious Gavaskar went to Chauhan and told his partner to accompany him to the pavilion. Chauhan seemed reluctant whereupon there was this strange spectacle of Sunil Gavaskar pushing Chaunan towards the pavilion. As the bewildered spectators watched and the Australian team remained on the field Gavaskar walked off with a hesitant Chauhan still trailing a few steps behind. Gavaskar was so upset that he was even willing to concede the match. The situation was fast turning out to be the most embarrassing episode in Indian cricket but the timely intervention of Wing Commander SK Durani the manager, prevented matters from getting out of hand. Even as Gavaskar reached the boundary line Durani signaled for Chauhan to stay on the field and after a few words with the agitated Gavaskar he asked Dilip Vengsarkar to go out and join Chauhan and play continued. Judged by any yardstick what Gavaskar did was very wrong. However in the heat of the moment Gavaskar forgot all this. Had the match been played before a match referee one shudders tot think what kind of action would have been taken against the Indian captain. But these were the days before the ICC had thought of appointing such officials.  All things considered Gavaskar’s action was unfortunate and one he was to regret publicly on more than one occasion. The BCCI should have taken some action but at the time Gavaskar was the undisputed monarch of Indian cricket, his wish being the BCCI’s command. But then Gavaskar was one who did not mind stirring up controversy and facing the consequences. 

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