Amid the ongoing showdown between India and Australia in the four-Test series, legendary Sunil Gavaskar recalled his infamous walkout during the Melbourne Test of 1981, saying it was the Australian players’ “get lost” comment and not the LBW dismissal that prompted him to walk off the ground with his opening partner.

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In that Test match, a Dennis Lillee in-cutter caught Gavaskar plumb in front and the umpire raised his finger. But the great Indian opener thought that the ball had got his bat on the way to the pad and thus he showed dissent by standing his ground long enough.

“The misconception is that I was upset at the lbw decision,” Gavaskar told 7Cricket.

“Yes, it was upsetting. But the walk-off happened only because, as I had gone past Chetan (Chauhan) 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.”

While showing dissent, Gavaskar also slapped his pads with the bat before he eventually decided to make his way back to the pavilion. However, Lillee made one comment too many as he was walking back.

Subsequently, Gavaskar returned to the crease and asked fellow opener Chetan Chauhan to walk off the ground with him.

“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,” Gavaskar further said while narrating the incident.

(With PTI inputs)