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XtraTime Web Desk: On this day exactly 44 years back the world of cricket witnessed a bloodbath at the Sabina Park ground in Jamaica where West Indies fast bowlers went on a rampage against the Indian batsmen. Michael Holding and co. terrorized the Indian batting line-up so much so that five of their batsmen were forced not to take part in the second innings due to injuries. As the demoralised Indian contingent returned to Santacruz Airport in Mumbai, not too many fans were waiting to welcome them back following the 1-2 series loss. Battered and bruised, the Indian cricketers were coming out of the flight one by one. Gundappa Viswanath had a plaster cast running from his forearm to fingers. Anshuman Gaekwad was barely recognisable; his features wrapped from chin to crown in white dressing. Brijesh Patel had three stitches on his upper lip.Indian skipper Bishan Bedi and his spin bowling partner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar also had bandaged fingers. The West Indians were livid after their loss at the hands of Indians who successfully chased a world record of 406 runs in the third test match at Port of Spain. Entire Caribbean islands were up against the West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd, who wanted him to resign from captaincy. Annoyed by the string of incidents that happened following the loss at Trinidad, Lloyd adopted a negative tactics of short pitched bowling at the Indians on the 2nd day on an uneven Sabina Park track. Indian openers Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad displayed great batsman ship and scored half-centuries to take India to 1 for 175 at the end of Day 1. But what followed the next day was simply unsporting like from the Caribbean pace bowlers. Anshuman Gaekwad became the first victim of some negative bowling by the West Indians. Gaekwad was hit on the left ear (remember those were pre-helmet days) and had to spend two nights in hospital. Gundappa Viswanath also injured his finger, which was both fractured and dislocated. Brijesh Patel, on the other hand, was required to have stitches after being hit in the mouth. All three of them did not take any further part in the match. With six wickets down for 306 and two batsmen being forced to retire, Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi decided to declare India’s first innings. In reply, West Indies were at one stage reduced to 6 for 217, but a 107-run stand for the seventh wicket between Deryck Murray and Michael Holding helped the hosts earn a vital lead in the match. The hosts first innings eventually ended at 391, with a lead of 85 runs. India had a shaky start in the second innings with top 3 batsmen net able to take the field. The score was reduced to 97/5, courtesy a vicious spell of fast bowling by Holding. With just being 12 runs ahead, Bedi decided to declare the innings once again. Five Indian batsmen were unable to take the field in the second innings. While Gaekwad, Viswanath and Patel’s injuries were known, Bedi and Chandrasekhar also had damaged fingers while attempting return catches during the West Indies’ innings, which ruled them out from batting in India’s second innings. The result, West Indies went on to win the test match and the series 2-1. The statement from Bedi after the match summed it all. According to Bedi, “The West Indian tactics in this Sabina Park Test were not part of the game. They were a deliberate effort to subdue us,” lamented Bedi. Clyde Walcott, the Caribbean team manager, however, waved the incident away by saying, “India were ill-equipped to play fast bowling.” And Windies captain Clive Lloyd was even more dismissive: “This is cricket — if you get hit you have to take it!”