“This is questioning my integrity”: How a Syed Kirmani-related incident inspired Sunil Gavaskar to stage the infamous 1981 MCG walk-off

The ‘Little Master’ Sunil Gavaskar has provided his fans with many moments worth cherishing throughout his career. However, very few moments in the list might perhaps top the one which occurred at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the year 1981.

It was the third Test match of the tour to Australia, where Sunil Gavaskar was leading the Indian Test side. After being all Out at the score of 237 in the first innings, team India could only restrict the Aussie batting line-up at the score of 419, with Allan Border smashing a fine century (124).

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The Aussie lead was huge, but the Indian opening pair of Gavaskar (70) and Chetan Chauhan (85) had stitched a partnership worth 165 runs, to crawl their way back into the contest.

However, a Dennis Lillee pacey delivery to Gavaskar kept a tad low, and seemed to have rapped him right in front of the stumps, and the umpire did not hesitate a bit to rule him Out LBW.

Syed Kirmani-related incident inspired Sunil Gavaskar to stage a walk-off

Gavaskar wore the ‘I cannot believe it’ look on his face, and seemed to suggest to umpire that there was a clear inside edge off his bat. Lillee quicky ran towards Gavaskar to imply that the ball struck him dead in front of the stumps.

Although reluctantly, the ‘Little Master’ did walk back, but on his way towards the dressing room something seemed to have snapped him. A livid Gavaskar, after some heated conversations with some Aussie fielders decided to take Chauhan along with him towards the pavilion, and seemed to boycott the rest of the match.

Chauhan, on the other hand, after confirming twice with his skipper pertaining his decision, had no option but to walk along with him as well.

During an interaction with 7Cricket a few years ago, Gavaskar had revealed that it was not the alleged poor LBW call from the umpire that led to the dramatic moment, but a few unwarranted comments made by the Australian fielders post it which propelled him to take the decision.

Why the walk-off?

When asked why he would decide to walk-off from the ground, Gavaskar exclaimed that it was wicket-keeper batter Syed Kirmani’s words a day earlier, which had stuck in his mind and let to the decision.

A bit frustrated with the biasness of the umpire in favour of the Aussie batter Allan Border, the latter was finally bowled around the legs after reaching the three-figure mark. However, Kirmani couldn’t believe his eyes when the umpire decided to confirm with the leg-umpire whether Border’s wickets were indeed dismantled.

“The previous day we had this situation where we thought Allan Border had been out three times, and then after a hundred he’d been bowled round his legs and the umpire started to go towards the square leg umpire to confirm it had happened, and Syed Kirmani said to me ‘if this is given not out, I’m walking off.’ I said ‘You can’t do that’. And he said, ‘No, this is questioning my integrity.’ So this word, ‘walk-off’, is there, so the next day when this thing happened, that’s it,” remarked Gavaskar as an explanation.