On 23rd October (Monday), India lost one of its sporting icons, Bishan Singh Bedi, who captained the Indian side in 20 Test matches as he passed away at the age of 77. Born on 25th September 1946, in Amritsar, Bedi played 67 Tests for India. Between 1967 and 1979, he took 266 wickets in his Test career. In the domestic circuit, he took a whopping 1560 wickets in 370 First Class matches.
In 1976, India toured the West Indies under his captaincy and gave a tough time to the Windies Eleven. In a four-match test series, India had marched shoulder to shoulder with Clive Lyod’s lanky fast bowlers with the scoreline reading 1-1 by the end of the third test match. However, a crushing defeat at the hands of the away team (India) didn’t go down well with the Windies who were touted as the hegemons of the game.
After a humiliating defeat, West Indies adopted an aggressive strategy, targeting the Indian batsmen with an aim to execute bodyline bowling which prompted skipper Bishan Singh Bedi to take a call before the Windies’ quick could inflict more harm.
This is the story of the fourth test between India and the West Indies, the back story, and the uncanny decision of the skipper that has gone down in the annals of cricketing history. This is the story of why skipper Bedi asked the Windies to chase a meagre total of 13 runs instead of sending his batters in harm’s way.
The run-up to the infamous fourth test between the two side
During the 1976 West Indies tour, India faired well and had levelled the 4 match-series 1-1 before heading for the decider (fourth match) at the Kingston Ground in Jamaica. India was coming into this match after successfully chasing down a mammoth and historic total of 406-4 in the fourth innings of the third Test played in Port of Spain.
The away team had pulled a record run chase against the West Indies fast bowlers who were notorious for destructing any batting lineup in the world. Interestingly, the record run chase of 406 was bettered only after 27 years in 2003 when West Indies chased 418 against Australia.
Additionally, the West Indies side was haunted by their previous 5-1 defeat in the series in Australia, and they were determined to win the home series at any cost.
The defeat in the third match in a home series had bruised the ego of the mighty West Indies and it could not stomach its defeat. Consequently, the Clive Loyd-led side displaced one of the deadliest bowling attacks which bruised and battered the Indian side.
Notably, the fourth match was played at the Kingston Ground in Jamaica. It was on a recently relaid pitch and it offered unpredictable bounce to the West Indian fast bowlers in the likes of Michael Holding, Wayne Daniel, Bernard Julien, and Van Holder.
Solid start marred by injuries
After being asked to bat first, the Indian top order smashed the West Indies bowler all around the corner. With a century-run opening stand, Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad not only survived the onslaught of the aggressive bowling, they were taking the match away from the host side.
But the aggressive bodyline strategy of notorious West Indies bowlers fructified and they tasted blood. In a quick success of 36 runs, they had sent two Indian batters to the pavilion, but they didn’t secure their wickets; instead, the Indian players were injured by the Windies’ bowling lineup. Mind you, these were pre-helmet days, and no restrictions on bouncers. It was a no-holds-barred for the West Indies fast bowlers.
Anshuman Gaikwad who was playing well on 81 and Brijesh Patel (14*) were hit by the Windies’ bowling lineup, both sustained injuries and had to retire hurt. Gaikwad suffered a blow to his left ear from the ball, leading to a two-day hospital stay. Similarly, Michael Holding’s delivery struck Brijesh Patel on the face, requiring stitches on his mouth. Meanwhile, Gundappa Vishwanath broke a finger in his right hand and also required a hospital visit.
From 237-3, India was virtually 273-5 with its in-form batters back to the pavilion. With the West Indies bowling bodyline balls and hurting Indian batters, captain Bishan Singh Bedi decided to declare the first innings before Holding and Company injured many more Indian players. Subsequently, skipper Bishan Singh Bedi declared the innings at 306/6.
During India’s bowling, the spin trio of Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan shared 9 wickets among them and curtailed the West Indies innings to 391 runs giving them a lead of 85 runs. However, while fielding, several Indian players, including skipper Bishan Singh Bedi and Chandrashekhar, sustained injuries.
Indian batters again faced the wrath of aggressive West Indies bowlers. This time, they had the added challenge that three of their batters were already injured and unable to continue. Gavaskar, who had scored a solid fifty in the first innings, struggled and departed quickly at the score of 2 runs on Holding’s bowling. India’s other opener, Dilip Dilip Vengsarkar (21) tried to give solidity to the Indian batting along with Mohinder Amarnath (60). But by the time India managed to take a 12-run lead over the host team, both of them were sent back to the pavilion by the West Indies quick bowlers.
Again From 97-2, India was 97-5 in no time thanks to relentless bowling by Clive Lyod’s side. But then, skipper Bishan Singh Bedi refused to send his last 5 batsmen – three batsmen who were injured in the first innings were not in a position to bat, and Bedi and Chandrashekar who had suffered hand injuries while fielding.
The Indian team had managed to secure a 12-run lead against the host team. Ultimately, Captain Bedi chose not to send the remaining batsmen onto the field, with a total score of 97 runs and declared the innings. Without any hick-up, West Indies chased down a total of 13 runs in just 1.5 overs. Winning the match by 10 wickets, they lifted the series by 2-1.
By the end of the match, all 17 members of the Indian touring team had fielded at some point during the game. Additionally, one of the substitutes, Surinder Amarnath, had to be rushed to the hospital for an appendix operation while the match was still in progress.