The Best of India in Australia, Part 1: Kapil Dev's Fifer and Sunil Gavaskar's Walk-Off as India Defend 143 at MCG
Years later, Gavaskar admitted that his actions were a mistake. “It was a big mistake on my part,” he said, reflecting on how he should have handled the situation better as a captain.
In the 1981 Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), India pulled off one of the most remarkable victories in their cricketing history by defending a mere 143 runs in the fourth innings, dismissing Australia for just 83. While the result is remembered for India's incredible bowling performance, the match is also infamous for an incident involving Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar's Walk-Off Drama On Day 4, Gavaskar was given out LBW, a decision he vehemently disagreed with. Frustrated by what he felt was a series of poor umpiring decisions throughout the series, Gavaskar threatened to walk off the field and take his team with him. Fast bowler Dennis Lillee’s words only escalated the tension, leading to Gavaskar asking his opening partner, Chetan Chauhan, to leave the field with him. However, the situation was defused by team manager Shahid Durrani and assistant manager Bapu Nadkarni, who intervened and persuaded Chauhan to return to the field, and Gavaskar was reluctantly coaxed back into the pavilion.
Years later, Gavaskar admitted that his actions were a mistake. “It was a big mistake on my part,” he said, reflecting on how he should have handled the situation better as a captain.
India’s Remarkable Victory The third and final Test of the series saw India needing a win to level the series. Australia led 1-0, with the second Test having been drawn. India batted first, with Gundappa Viswanath's 114 guiding them to 237 runs. Australia responded with 419, thanks largely to Allan Border’s 124.
In India’s second innings, Gavaskar and Chauhan put together a solid 165-run opening stand before Lillee’s intervention triggered the dramatic walk-off. India added a further 159 runs from the top five, with Viswanath, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Sandeep Patil contributing. India finished at 324, setting Australia a modest target of 143.
Kapil Dev’s Heroics Despite his injury, India’s star pacer, Kapil Dev, took the responsibility of bowling the next day, and his performance was crucial. With the pitch providing assistance to both pace and spin, Kapil bowled 16.4 overs, capturing 5 wickets for 28 runs. He led India’s charge, and Australia were bowled out for a paltry 83 runs. The highest score for Australia was Doug Walters’ unbeaten 18.
This win at the MCG was particularly sweet for India, as it followed their historic 222-run victory at the same venue in 1978, marking two consecutive Test wins at one of the most iconic grounds in world cricket.
India’s extraordinary win in this 1981 Test match, sealed by Kapil Dev’s inspired bowling performance and Viswanath’s batting heroics, remains one of the defining moments in their cricketing history.
