Part IV: High Drama Down Under

In any Indian fan's list of famous triumphs, the unexpected victory at Melbourne in February 1981 will rank very high ­ and for good reason. A win abroad, against strong opposition, achieved against all odds, with the Indian side crippled by injuries to key bowlers, and after being in arrears by 182 runs in the first innings ­ this is the stuff of which fiction and film scripts are made. But even this scenario was made more surreal by one more dramatic event that marked the twists and turns over five days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ­ a near walkout by the Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar after he had furiously disagreed with an lbw decision against him.

Things moved as expected when Australia wrapped up the first Test against India at Sydney by an innings in three days. The home team then had the better of a drawn second Test at Adelaide. So India could still level the series by winning the final Test at Melbourne, but for long this seemed an impossible task.

It is true that India had won two successive Tests in Australia in 1977-78 against a sub-standard Australian side, denuded of the Packer players, and had come close to winning the series. But against full- strength Australian teams on two previous visits, they had lost eight out of nine Tests played. And, in 1980-81, Australia were the second- best team in the world, behind West Indies, with a particularly good record at home. Prior to the series with India, Australia had beaten New Zealand in a three-match series 2-0.

Things moved as expected when Australia wrapped up the first Test against India at Sydney by an innings in three days. The home team then had the better of a drawn second Test at Adelaide. So India could still level the series by winning the final Test at Melbourne, but for long this seemed an impossible task. In spite of a gallant 114 by Gundappa Viswanath, India could only get to a modest 237 in the first innings. Allan Border (124), with good support from Greg Chappell (76) and Doug Walters (78), saw Australia reply with 419 midway through the third day.

As Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan opened the Indian second innings, the odds predictably were on Australia completing a 2-0 triumph. Gavaskar had been woefully out of touch, struggling to get 48 runs in five innings, but this time he settled down, and the pair led India's fight-back with their ninth three-figure partnership in Tests.

On the fourth morning, after the pair had put on 165, Gavaskar was adjudged lbw to Dennis Lillee for 70. He disagreed with the decision, stood his ground, and alternated between pleading and arguing with the umpire and the Australian players. Then Lillee came near him, pointed to his pad, and said something to him. Already upset, Gavaskar by now was furious. He stormed off the field, pulling a reluctant Chauhan along with him.

The Indian manager, Wing Commander Salim Durrani, met the agitated Gavaskar near the boundary line, asked Chauhan to stay on the field, and instructed Dilip Vengsarkar to go in. The manager's timely action saved a potentially embarrassing situation, but in the meantime, India had to continue their fight to save the match. Chauhan top-scored with 85, and there were good supporting knocks from Vengsarkar (41), Viswanath (30) and Sandip Patil (36). A total of 324, however, meant that Australia had to get only 143 runs for victory.

The wicket was showing some signs of wear and tear, but it seemed too small a target to cause the Australians, with their formidable array of batsmen, any trouble. Moreover, by now the Indians had major injury problems. Kapil Dev had pulled a thigh muscle and was unable to open the bowling; in fact, he had batted with a runner in the second innings. Dilip Doshi had a fractured instep, but was just about in a condition to bowl. Shivlal Yadav, while batting in the first innings, had sustained a hairline fracture on his toe thanks to a Len Pascoe yorker. He had bowled 32 overs in the Australian innings, retired midway through, was not in a position to bat in the second innings and was thus out of the action for the rest of the Test.

So India were left with one fit (Karsan Ghavri) and two half-fit bowlers, and this weakened trio were to bowl Australia out for less than 142. It seemed Mission: Impossible until Ghavri dismissed John Dyson and Chappell with successive deliveries to leave Australia at 11 for two. Super-fast work by Syed Kirmani stumped Graeme Wood off Doshi at 18, and with the Australians teetering at 24 for three by the close of play, the match had suddenly come to life. However, Australia were still the firm favourites as the target was within reachable limits, and Kim Hughes, Doug Walters, Allan Border and Rod Marsh were still around.

On the final morning, Kapil Dev put aside his discomfort and, with the aid of pain-killers, took the field. He and Doshi now bowled unchanged, the left-arm spinner taking the crucial wicket of the in- form Hughes. Thereafter, it was all Kapil. Bowling with fire in his eyes, the Indian spearhead maintained a perfect line and length, made the batsmen play at every ball, and gave nothing away.

In a trice, the strong Australian batting line-up crumbled before his inspired spell. With Gavaskar, still smarting from what had happened the previous day, egging his team on, the home side were shot out for 83, leaving India winners by 59 runs. Not one batsman got to even 20, and Kapil finished with five for 28. Of course, the roles played by Ghavri (two for 10) and Doshi (two for 33) were also vital in shaping one of the most dramatic victories in Indian cricket history.

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