Aussie Veteran Ian Chappell Ends His Commentary Stint After 45 Years

Aug 14, 2022 at 4:32 PM

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Aussie Veteran Ian Chappell Ends His Commentary Stint After 45 Years

Ian Chappell has decided to retire from commentary. Ian Chappell who has been doing commentary for the past 45 years or so said that media tycoon Kerry Packer wanted to sack him on several occasions amid World Series Cricket.

The former Australian skipper picked up the microphone after representing his country in 75 Test matches. The batter had a decent run as a player as he finished with 5345 runs in the longest format of the game. After taking retirement, Ian Chappell decided to do commentary in 1977.

Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Ian Chappell Retires From Commentary And Recalled Kerry Packer Wanted To Sack Him Twice

The prominent commentator also shed light on his early days in commentary and said that his career almost came to an end before even starting due to the mood swings of Kerry Packer. The former Aussie skipper also said that listeners of his commentary may remember him as a ‘prick’, but he reckoned that he deserved his place behind the microphone.

“I remember the day when I knew I’d had enough of playing cricket,” the 78-year-old told the Sydney Morning Herald. I looked at the clock and it was five past 11 on a day of play and I thought, ‘S***, if you’re clock-watching at that time, I have to go,” he added.

Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer during a match between English journalists and Australian journalists at Harrogate, Yorkshire, circa June 1977. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

“Kerry wanted to sack me a couple of times. He used to get the shits about one-day cricket because that was his baby … With Kerry, it was just like a storm, you’d let it blow over till the next one came,” Ian Chappell said.

The legend, who called time on his international career in 1980 after scoring 14 Test centuries, also added that he was almost fired by media baron Kerry Packer amid World Series Cricket.

After the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused to accept Channel Nine’s bid to gain exclusive television rights to Australia’s Test matches in 1976, Kerry Packer set up his own series by secretly signing agreements with leading Australian, English, Pakistani, South African and West Indian players, most notably England captain Tony Greig, West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, Australian captain Greg Chappell, future Pakistani captain Imran Khan and former Australian captain Ian Chappell.

Ian Chappell Believes Test Cricket Wouldn’t Die In His Lifetime

The former Australian skipper has also questioned the existence and future of Test cricket amid the rising stature of franchise-based cricket across the globe. Ian Chappell has stated that the longest format of the game won’t die in his lifetime, but he opined that players are now more focused on playing T20 leagues to earn money.

“(Test cricket) won’t die in my lifetime. But who’ll be playing it? That’s the big question,” Ian Chappell said. 

Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell (Image Credit: Getty)

The 78-year-old Ian Chappell played for the Australian national cricket team between 1964-1980 and made 75 appearances in Test cricket, scoring 5345 runs at an average of 42.42. His innings included 14 tons and 26 half-centuries. He also played 16 one-day internationals in his illustrious career and scored 673 runs at an average of 48.07, including 8 fifties.

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