Gavaskar takes up Lillee on sledging issue

Sunil Gavaskar renewed his verbal rivalry with Dennis Lillee, blaming him for an infamous walkout during the 1981 Melbourne Test "It was triggered by personal abuse on Lillee's part," said Gavaskar.

After being adjudged dubiously lbw, Gavaskar said that he further faced abusive comments from Lillee. In protest, Gavaskar almost led his opening partner Chetan Shauhan off the field before being placated at the boundary by wing commander SA Durrani, the team manager.

"If you look at the video, I am walking towards the pavilion. I turned back only on hearing the abuse and then took Chauhan away," Gavaskar told The Times of India.

"Had there been no abuse, I would have vented my anger out in the dressing-room. I expressed my regret about the incident then itself and again during the Cowdrey lecture."

In the lecture, Gavaskar had accused Australia for harming the game's image with their sledging. In response, Lillee had stated: "I think it's funny coming from someone who took his bat and went home when an umpire's decision went against him.

"Sledging has gone on since WG Grace and it will go on as long as any sport is played, not just cricket," Lillee had said. "If they think it's too bad, the authorities are there to stop it."

Gavaskar warned that players may come to blows if personal abuse was not stopped immediately. "Those who are defending sledging are those who practice it," said Gavaskar

"If personal abuse is part of the game, then it's a different game that I've played. The West Indian players never did it. Courtney Walsh, the world's highest wicket-taker, never uttered a word," Gavaskar added. "They may have induldged in eyeball-to-eyeball tussles, but that's not the same as personal abuse. That's not what the fans want to see."

Gavaskar did, however, agree with Lillee that his brother-in-law Gundappa Viswanath was a better batsman than him. "I agree with Lillee that Vishy was better," Gavaskar said. "In fact, I'm on record about this and I repeat that Vishy was the best batsman of my generation because of the quality of the bowling that he faced and the conditions under which he made runs."