The Houdini Act

Drama will be just the perfect word to describe India’s tour to Australia in 1980-81. Although, to be exact, most of the drama was reserved for just one venue – the magnificent Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In one dramatic incident, Indians were spectators & not "actors" in the middle but two episode that unfolded in this series had Indians on stage.

First, the incident in which the Indians, including yours truly, were spectators. It was drama at its very best or very worst depending upon from which perspective you view it. In the 2nd contest of the Grand Final of the Benson & Hedges Triangular Limited over series, the gladiators were the Australians and the Kiwis. Rivalry in sports between these two neighbors is strong and when New Zealand needed 6 to tie Australia’s 235, Greg Chappell the Aussie skipper told his brother Trevor Chappell to bowl underarm to Brian Mckechine to ensure a six wasn’t hit.

Whilst no law of cricket (at that time) forbade bowling underarm, this was surely an underhand tactic, which made a mockery of the spirit of the game. Australia won the game but lost goodwill in the cricketing world.

MCG – six days later was the venue of the 3rd and the last Test of the India – Australia Series in which India had been outplayed. They had lost the first Test at Sydney by an innings and had barely survived at Adelaide – the 9th wicket pair of Ghavri and Yadav at the crease when the mandatory overs in the last hour finished. The Indians had lost to South Australia & Tasmania before the first Test and been knocked out of the Benson & Hedges Limited overs competition. So it wasn’t a confident and successful team that took the field in the decider at MCG.

The MCG wicket was unpredictable and its bounce and pace was of a varying kind as the match wore on. Keeping this fact in mind, as also the team composition for the Ashes tour to follow later in the year, the Australian selectors brought in an extra spinner (Higgs) in place of a pace bowler (Hogg).

Chappell won the toss and once again put India into bat. As at Sydney and Adelaide, the Indians collapsed with only Vishwanath standing tall amidst the ruins – 114 out of a total 237, Lillee 4 for 65, Pascoe for 29, Yardley 2 for 45. This was Vishwanath’s first century in Australia out of a total 12 that he scored. Australia’s reply was a massive 419 built around a superb century by Border aided by Chappell (76) and Walters (78).