Ian Chappell retires from commentary

[subshakerz]

I always appreciated his candid views and unpopular takes.

Ian Chappell ends 45-year commentary career

The former Australia captain, known for his incisive and forthright views, spent the best part of his commentary years with Channel Nine

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[honestbharani]

Can be hard headed at times but yes, one of the commentators I enjoyed the most listening to.

 

[social]

Could tell that he was really struggling at times last season

Didn’t always agree with him but has had a top career & generated plenty of discussion over the years

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think it's important to separate his work from what he has been the last few years to what he was for most of his time, very different people. I genuinely don't think he's been quite all there last couple years

 

[duffer]

Excellent commentator. Willing to go against his masthead's narrative is a great attribute to that too

 

[Mister Wright]

Only 20 years too late. Got sick of the exact same stories each time he was on commentary. Was great at the start, but the last couple of decades were monotonous.

 

[Arachnodouche]

What are some of his controversial takes? I thought he was the ****...no-nonsense and gritty. Won't see his like again for sure.

 

[ankitj]

Retiring from commentary is a thing?

 

[Zinzan]

Quoting one of the great Ian Chappell stories as told be Fredfertang a number of years back....

In the autumn of 1979 I was sat in a pub in Lytham St Annes with a couple of mates. During the course of the evening Ian Chappell came in with an entourage and sat at the table next to us. I have to say that beyond recognising him when he walked in we wouldn't have noticed him although he may well have picked up on the fact that his presence set myself and my mates off talking about the Packer circus and everything flowing from that which was big news at the time.

It must have been before the 1979/80 tour because I am sure we would have made some comments had the Ashes just been won 4-1 by England!

Anyway in due course I had the call of nature and went to the gents and in the middle of what I was doing Chappell walked in. He stood next to me and his first action was to let rip an impressively loud and rasping fart followed very rapidly by an equally loud and rasping belch. He then looked at me and said "the beer in this place is f****** p***”

I didn't really know what to say to that and my first thought was to be a bit concerned that perhaps I had said something in the bar that may have offended him so I kept quiet. He started to chuckle and looked at me again and said "did you realise I was Ian Chappell". My immediate reaction to that, and one which I must confess I had already prepared in the lounge thinking that he might say something like that when he was sat next to us, was "No I thought you were John Snow's bunny".

At this he roared with laughter but I still thought discretion was the better part of valour and left and went back to my table. When he came back into the bar shortly afterwards he made for the bar and bought a pint each for myself and my mates which he brought over in excellent humour and told us the pints were because I'd given him a line for his after-dinner speaking. Whether he ever used it I have no idea

I suppose I should have tried to get some piece of signed memorabilia from him but unfortunately being a teenager I was just too overawed!

 

[Xuhaib]

I thought he was pretty great till 2010ish started turning too much in to a bitter old gramps from then onwards however was still capable of putting across some gems here and there.

Cricket commentary is one skill (if you can call it) which has gone progressively worse with time can't put my finger on it why is that the case.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Cricket commentary is one skill (if you can call it) which has gone progressively worse with time can't put my finger on it why is that the case.

One part of it is commentators being discouraged (or just scared to) rock the boat for fear of getting in trouble. The result being repetitive, boring analysis and no one standing out with their outrageous opinions.

 

[Zinzan]

Always had a lot of time for Chappelli's commentary & writings. Loved the fact he seemed really appreciative of good cricket from opposition teams, even when Australia were on the backfoot.

 

[Heboric]

Not a fan, although one thing I will give to him is at least he didnt go that over the top, over excited style thats common in Australian commentary nowadays

 

[Flem274*]

One part of it is commentators being discouraged (or just scared to) rock the boat for fear of getting in trouble. The result being repetitive, boring analysis and no one standing out with their outrageous opinions.

I half agree. I think comms are told to either toe the line or bring colour with strong personalities. Few are told to provide depth.

 

[subshakerz]

What are some of his controversial takes? I thought he was the ****...no-nonsense and gritty. Won't see his like again for sure.

Chappell backed Cummins, IMO rightly so, after all the others legends attacked him for not supporting Langer as coach.

Whether you liked him or not, Chappell was the least biased commentator I have come across. He wasn't the type to simply back Australia subtly or overtly.

 

[OverratedSanity]

He could definitely be very annoying ( his act of trying to put himself in the captain's shoes constantly could get tiresome) but as the years went on and the likes of Benaud, Greig, Lawry etc. were replaced by blokes who didn't even bother to sound like they cared about cricket, it became harder to dislike him. Will be missed.

He had some very stubborn takes that always irritated me though, the main one being that any batsman who padded up deserved to be given out lbw even if the ball was missing the stumps.

 

[Zinzan]

He had some very stubborn takes that always irritated me though, the main one being that any batsman who padded up deserved to be given out lbw even if the ball was missing the stumps.

Yeah overall point taken, although he didn't quite say that in the video, he said he didn't have much sympathy for batsmen not playing a shot. I'm in agreement with him on that considering this was prior to DRS where the batsman loses any benefit of the doubt when shouldering arms.

 

[Xuhaib]

He could definitely be very annoying ( his act of trying to put himself in the captain's shoes constantly could get tiresome) but as the years went on and the likes of Benaud, Greig, Lawry etc. were replaced by blokes who didn't even bother to sound like they cared about cricket, it became harder to dislike him. Will be missed.

That's most likely because he was so good at it and was bit of a pioneer for modern cricket captaincy.

In this video below Imran rates him as his biggest inspiration for cricket leadership. It's actually quite a funny video if you can understand urdu and have little background context on Pakistani politics.

 

[ankitj]

That's most likely because he was so good at it and was bit of a pioneer for modern cricket captaincy.

In this video below Imran rates him as his biggest inspiration for cricket leadership. It's actually quite a funny video if you can understand urdu and have little background context on Pakistani politics.

So Imran is lamenting Pakistani people for putting individuals in jobs that they are not fit for. Hmm.

 

[slippy888]

Guy was a quality commentator and very neutral that he applaud good cricket played by any team