Thread by @ovshake42

As per a Wisden report, "Gavaskar subsequently denied that police had warned him there was a threat to law and order should he delay the declaration any longer, though it was broadcast as a fact by an Indian commentator on BBC radio."

The incident took place on this day, 1985.
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And that was not the only incident of note from that Test match.

India came into the Test match with the series levelled 1-1.

Sivaramakrishnan had scythed through England at Bombay, but England fought back to win at Delhi.
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At Delhi, with India under pressure, Kapil had hit a six, and was caught in the deep off Pocock when he attempted an encore.

He was dropped from this Test match, at Eden Gardens, causing protests in Calcutta.

This was the only Test he ever missed in his career.
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Gavaskar, the captain, was the main target of this collective blaming.

Though Chairman of Selectors Hanumant Singh later clarified that the decision was not Gavaskar's.

(Gavaskar had confirmed the same in the presence of Kapil and the media at the CCI in 2017)
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The other axing was of Patil, who would never played another Test match.

He would be replaced by a young uncapped Hyderabadi called Mohammad Azharuddin.

India finished Day 1 on 168/4 amidst gloom. At the crease were Azhar (13) and Shastri (26).
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Downton had missed a stumping of Azhar, off Pocock.

The next day was *my* first appearance at the venue. It rained (what did I expect?) almost throughout the day.

All I saw was two tall men at the crease for enough time to add eight runs.
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Azhar, batting in an oversized helmet, got all of these.

The next day set a pattern across Indian venues for the next few years: the crowd cheered Azhar and booed Shastri.

When Shastri played a ball to short leg, the fielder threw the stumps down. The crowd cheered.
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Not out, said the umpire. A collective groan followed.

Cowans got Azhar for a 322-ball 110, his first hundred of his world record run.

Azhar and Shastri had added 214 at under two an over, for over seven hours.

India were 348/5 at stumps. They added only 172 that day.
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They were not quite under pressure. The crowd probably had a point.

Shastri fell next morning, for a 357-ball 111.

356/6, fourth morning... surely India would declare now?

Not quite.

India batted on. Syed Kirmani got a quick 35.
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Just before lunch, Gavaskar appeared outside the dressing-room.

He was greeted with a collective "Gavaskar down, Gavaskar out".

India went to lunch.

And Chetan Sharma and Prabhakar, walked out after that. Still no declaration.
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Whether there was truth in Wisden's statement in the initial tweet is unknown.

But given what took place in Kolkata 11 years later (and before, and after), it might not have been an exaggeration.

At some point during the day, a newspaper fluttered across the ground.
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Edmonds did a Warwick Armstrong by reading it, standing in the outfield, making his boredom evident.

Gavaskar declared at 437/7. India had scored at 2.18 runs an over. Less than five sessions were left.

As the Indian team took field, the crowd pelted them with fruits.
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Play was held up for eight minutes. The ground had to be cleared.

England gave it back by finishing the day on 99/2.

The crowd still showed up on Day 5 to see England get bowled out for 276.

Chetan, Kapil's replacement, took 4/38.

India had just over an hour to bat.
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When Shastri walked out, he became the fifth batsman to bat on every day of a Test.

Later, Lamb picked up his only Test wicket, of Prabhakar.

Gavaskar vowed to never play another Test on the ground.

He did exactly that by opting out of the Pakistan Test in 1986-87.
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The Calcutta-Gavaskar relationship has thankfully improved over time.