Sunil Gavaskar's controversial MCG walkout of 1981 has a new twist in the tale, Read here

Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has finally opened up on what made him urge his batting partner Chetan Chauhan to walk off the field during a Test match between India and Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground way back in 1981. 

'Sunny' was adjudged leg before wicket off the legendary pacer Dennis  Lillee when the ball had taken the inside edge of his bat and then struck him on the pads. So, it was initially assumed that when the umpire had raised his finger, an irate Gavaskar forced Chauhan to leave the field along with him. However, the former opening batsman has now gone on to say that the Australian players were instigating him with not so kind words as a result of which he lost his composure.

'They told me to get lost': Sunil Gavaskar

“I got an inside-edge as you can see from the forward short leg fielder. He hasn’t done anything, he hasn’t moved. Dennis [Lillee] is telling me, ‘It hit you there,’ and I’m trying to say, ‘No I hit it.’ And now you see, I’ve asked Chetan to walk off with me", said Gavaskar while speaking to 7Cricket.

“The misconception is that I was upset at the lbw decision. Yes, it was upsetting. But the walk-off happened only because, as I had gone past Chetan on the way to the change-rooms, the Australians had given me a spray. They told me to get lost, which is where I’ve come back and asked Chetan to walk off with me", the 1983 World Cup winner added.

 

Watch the video of the infamous MCG walkout here:

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Luckily, nothing untoward happened as the game progressed despite a short interruption and in the end, India went on to register a famous win by 59 runs riding on the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev's five-wicket haul in the fourth innings as the hosts were bundled out for a paltry 83. 

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