Gavaskar, India’s captain and opening batsman, was batting with Chetan Chauhan when he was controversially given out LBW (leg before wicket) by Australian umpire Rex Whitehead.
The ball, bowled by Dennis Lillee, appeared to have hit Gavaskar’s bat before striking his pads. Furious with the decision, Gavaskar initially stood his ground, expressing his displeasure.
However, after an animated exchange with Lillee, an incensed Gavaskar started walking off. In a moment of high tension, he gestured to his partner, Chauhan, to leave the field with him in protest against the umpire’s decision.
Sunil Gavaskar’s Melbourne walkout vs Dennis Lillee in 1981
As Gavaskar and Chauhan began to walk off, the Indian team manager, Shahid Durrani, intervened, calming the situation and persuading Chauhan to continue playing. Gavaskar eventually left the field, but Chauhan returned to bat, avoiding a potential forfeit.
India went on to win the match by 59 runs, thanks to a remarkable bowling performance by Kapil Dev, who took five wickets in Australia’s second innings.
The victory was only India’s third Test win on Australian soil at that time.
The walkout, however, remains a controversial episode in Gavaskar’s illustrious career, reflecting the intensity and pressure of international cricket during that era.
However, after 40 years later, Gavaskar revealed the real reason behind his walkout, stating that it was the Australian players’ ‘get lost’ call, and not his LBW dismissal, that prompted him to walk off the ground with his opening partner.