Ian Chappell facts for kids

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Ian Chappell

Personal information
Full name	Ian Michael Chappell
Born	(1943-09-26) 26 September 1943 (age 81) Unley, South Australia
Nickname	Chappelli
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg spin
Role	Top-order batter
Relations	Greg Chappell (brother) Trevor Chappell (brother) Vic Richardson (grandfather)
International information
National side	Australia (1964–1980)
Test debut (cap 231)	4 December 1964 v Pakistan
Last Test	6 February 1980 v England
ODI debut (cap 2)	5 January 1971 v England
Last ODI	14 January 1980 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1961/62–1979/80	South Australia
1963	Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 75 16 262 37 Runs scored 5,345 673 19,680 1,277 Batting average 42.42 48.07 48.35 39.90 100s/50s 14/26 0/8 59/96 0/13 Top score 196 86 209 93* Balls bowled 2,873 42 13,143 202 Wickets 20 2 176 5 Bowling average 65.80 11.50 37.57 28.40 5 wickets in innings 0 0 2 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 2/21 2/14 5/29 2/14 Catches/stumpings 105/– 5/– 312/1 20/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Australia ICC Cricket World Cup Runner-up 1975 England
Source: Cricinfo, 13 November 2007

Ian Michael Chappell (born 26 September 1943) is a famous former cricketer from Australia. People often call him "Chappelli". He is known as one of the greatest captains in cricket history. He led the Australian team from 1971 to 1975. Later, he played a big part in creating World Series Cricket, a new professional cricket league.

Ian came from a family of cricketers. His grandfather and brothers also captained Australia. He started his international career as a right-hand middle-order batsman and spin bowler. He became very successful when he started batting at number three. Chappell was known for being direct and honest. This sometimes led to disagreements with other players and cricket officials. He helped make Australian cricket more professional in the 1970s. He was the captain when Australia finished second in the 1975 Cricket World Cup.

Cricket expert John Arlott described him as a player who focused on getting results. When batting, he was always moving, adjusting his gear, and tapping his bat. He learned a strong defensive style as a child. He was great at hitting the ball with drives and square cuts. His special shot was the hook, which he loved to play. He was also a skilled slip fielder and was the fourth player to catch 100 balls in Test matches.

After he stopped playing in 1980, he became a well-known sports journalist and cricket commentator. He worked mostly for Channel Nine. He is still an important person in Australian cricket. In 2006, famous bowler Shane Warne said Chappell was the biggest influence on his career. Ian Chappell has been honored in many Halls of Fame, including the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986 and the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

Ian Chappell's Early Life and Cricket Journey

Ian Chappell was the first of four sons born in Unley, near Adelaide. His parents were Martin and Jeanne. Cricket was a big part of his life from a young age. His father was a good local cricketer. He put a bat in Ian's hands as soon as he could walk. Ian's grandfather, Vic Richardson, was a famous all-round sportsman. He even captained Australia in cricket.

Chappell's grandfather, Vic Richardson, was also a famous Australian sportsman.

Ian and his younger brothers, Greg and Trevor, had weekly batting lessons from age five. Both Greg and Trevor also went on to play for Australia. Ian grew up in Glenelg, a beachside suburb. He played his first cricket match at age seven. He was later chosen for the South Australian state schoolboys team.

He went to Prince Alfred College, a school known for producing many Test cricketers. Besides cricket, he also played Australian football and baseball. He was so good at baseball that he was selected for the All-Australian team in 1964 and 1966. He says his grandfather, Vic Richardson, who also played baseball for Australia, inspired his love for the sport. At 18, he played his first first-class match for South Australia in 1962.

Ian was greatly influenced by the attacking style of cricketer Gary Sobers and his South Australia captain, Les Favell. In 1962–63, Chappell scored his first major century. This was against a team led by Australian captain Richie Benaud. In 1963, Chappell played professionally in England for a short time.

Ian Chappell's International Cricket Career

In 1963–64, Chappell started batting at number three for South Australia. He scored 205 runs without being out. He was the youngest player on the team that won the Sheffield Shield that season. Because of his strong performance, he was chosen for a Test match against Pakistan in December 1964. He scored 11 runs and took four catches. However, he was not selected again until 1966.

At this time, selectors saw him as an all-rounder. He batted lower down the order and bowled leg-spin. He struggled during a tour of South Africa in 1966–67. His highest score was 49. His five wickets were very expensive. His captain, Bob Simpson, advised him to stop playing the hook shot.

Becoming a Key Batsman

In 1967–68, Chappell's place in the team was uncertain. But he scored 151 runs in a Test match against India. He was lucky, as the Indian team missed five chances to get him out. Even so, his selection for the 1968 tour of England was based more on his potential than his recent scores.

In England, Chappell proved the selectors right. He scored the most first-class runs on the tour. He also led the Australian Test team in runs. Wisden praised his batting and called him the hardest Australian batsman to dismiss.

Rising to Vice-Captain

Chappell had many high scores and took a record number of catches in 1968–69. He won the Australian Cricketer of the Year award. Against the West Indies, he scored several centuries. He was moved up to bat at number three. He bowled less often and was made vice-captain of the team.

He continued his success in India in late 1969. He showed he could bat well against spin bowling. His captain, Bill Lawry, called him the best all-round batsman in the world. However, his form dropped when Australia toured South Africa in 1970. Australia lost all four matches.

On this tour, Chappell first disagreed with cricket officials about player pay. The South African team wanted to add an extra Test match. The Australian Board of Control agreed without asking the players. Chappell led a group of players who demanded more money for the extra game. The match was eventually cancelled because the players stood firm.

Taking on the Captaincy Role

Chappell as captain in 1971.

Chappell became captain of South Australia in 1970–1971. His younger brother Greg made his Test debut that summer. Ian scored half-centuries against England. But he couldn't turn them into big scores. Greg, however, scored 108 runs in his first innings.

A Test match was cancelled due to rain. This led to a seventh Test being played in Sydney. Australia was losing the series. To make the team more aggressive, the selectors removed captain Bill Lawry. They appointed Chappell as the new captain. Chappell was upset about how Lawry was treated. But he led the team with an attacking style. Australia lost the series, but Chappell led South Australia to win the Sheffield Shield that summer. This was their first win in seven years.

After battling against fast bowler John Snow, Chappell decided to improve his game. He talked to Sir Donald Bradman. He decided to bring back his hook shot. He spent the winter practicing by hitting baseballs thrown by his brother Greg.

Building a Strong Australian Team

Cricket writer Gideon Haigh said that Ian Chappell shaped the Australian team between 1971 and 1975. He made them aggressive, clever, and confident.

Australia lost an unofficial Test series to a Rest of the World team in 1971–72. Chappell was the best batsman in this series. He scored four centuries. He then led the team to England in 1972. They drew the Ashes series 2–2. The series started badly for Chappell. He was out hooking on the very first ball he faced. But the team recovered. Greg Chappell also became a strong batsman. The brothers often batted together, sharing important partnerships. They became the first brothers to score centuries in the same Test innings. Australia won the last game, which Chappell later called a turning point for the team.

In 1972–73, Australia had big wins against Pakistan and the West Indies. Chappell showed great leadership in tough situations. He scored his highest Test score of 196 against Pakistan. His team won two matches that Pakistan seemed likely to win.

In the West Indies, Chappell was the top scorer. He made 542 runs. He scored two Test centuries. He also made a great 97 runs on a difficult pitch in Trinidad. This set up a dramatic final day. The West Indies needed only 66 runs to win. But they collapsed against Australia's strong bowling and Chappell's clever field placements.

The "Ugly Australians" and On-Field Behavior

Ian Chappell in the early 1970s.

Australia played six Tests against New Zealand in 1973–74. Chappell led his team to a 2–0 win in Australia. He equaled a world record by taking six catches in one Test match. His brother Greg broke this record the next season. In New Zealand, the Chappell brothers became the first brothers to each score a century in both innings of a Test match.

However, Australia lost to New Zealand for the first time ever. Chappell had a verbal argument with New Zealand batsman Glenn Turner. The team's behavior was questioned by some journalists. They called them "ugly Australians." Chappell later wrote about his approach. He said he preferred his team to be seen as tough rather than "nice guys" on the field. He believed players should focus on winning and playing hard within the rules.

Verbal exchanges on the field, known as sledging, became more common. Some people say Chappell started this. He admitted to using strong language when he lost his temper. But he said it was not a planned tactic.

Winning Back The Ashes and the First World Cup

Ian Chappell's Test career batting performance. The red bars show runs scored in an innings, and the blue line shows his batting average over his last ten innings.

A major highlight for Chappell was Australia's 4–1 win over England in 1974–75. This brought back The Ashes. Australia had new fast bowlers, Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. They played aggressive cricket, using a lot of short-pitched bowling. Chappell scored 90 runs on a tricky pitch in the first Test. He ended the series with 387 runs and 11 catches.

The Test matches drew huge crowds. This allowed Chappell to get a bonus for the players from the Australian Cricket Board (ACB). This more than doubled their pay. But it was still only a small part of the money the series made.

Soon after, Chappell led Australia in the first World Cup. He didn't like the defensive style of limited-overs cricket. So, Australia used Test-match tactics. They still reached the final. They lost a memorable match to the West Indies.

Leading the team was taking a toll on Chappell. After the World Cup, he announced his resignation from the captaincy. This was after the final Test against England in 1975. In 30 Tests as captain, he scored 2,550 runs with seven centuries.

First Retirement from Cricket

Chappell continued to play Test cricket under his brother Greg's captaincy in 1975–76. Australia won 5–1 against the West Indies. This made them the unofficial best team in the world. Chappell scored 156 runs in one match. He also reached two big milestones. He became the fourth Australian to score 5,000 runs in Test cricket. He was also the first player to take 100 Test catches for Australia.

The summer ended with Chappell leading South Australia to another Sheffield Shield title. He also shared the first Sheffield Shield player of the season award with his brother Greg. He then retired from first-class cricket at age 32.

World Series Cricket and Its Impact

In 1976, Chappell toured South Africa with a team called the International Wanderers. He also released his autobiography, Chappelli. He was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year. He spent the summer of 1976–77 playing professionally in Melbourne. He earned more money than he had as Australian captain.

Leading the Rebel League

Throughout his career, Chappell felt the ACB made it hard for players to earn a good living. They refused his requests to play professionally in England. As captain, he tried many times to get better pay for Australian players. He even looked into forming a players' union.

Kerry Packer of Channel Nine asked Chappell to lead an Australian team in World Series Cricket (WSC). This was a new professional cricket league. Chappell signed a three-year contract for A$75,000 in 1976. His involvement was very important for the new league to be believed. Chappell helped choose the Australian players for WSC. He was also involved in organizing and marketing the league. He felt that cricket officials, especially Don Bradman, were too strict with money.

Chappell said that players did not betray the ACB. He believed the officials had many chances to make a better deal for players. But they showed little interest in the players' well-being. This is why many players from around the world joined WSC.

In WSC's first season (1977–78), Chappell scored the first Supertest century. Fast bowling was very common in WSC. This led to the invention of batting helmets. Chappell was one of the first batsmen to use one. His form dropped in the second season. After the WSC ended, Chappell was convinced to return to official cricket.

Return to Official Cricket

Chappell became captain of South Australia again in 1979–80. He later said he regretted this decision. He was suspended for three weeks for his behavior in a match. After his ban, he was again reported for his conduct. He received a suspended ban. Then, he was selected for Australia's last three Tests of the season.

His Test career ended in February 1980. He scored 75 and 26 not out against England. In his final first-class match, South Australia needed to beat Victoria to win the Sheffield Shield. Chappell scored 112 runs, but South Australia lost the match. Even so, he was voted the competition's player of the season for a second time.

One Day International (ODI) Record

Chappell's aggressive style was good for limited-overs cricket. He scored runs quickly. He played only 16 ODI matches. But he was part of many important games. These included the first ODI ever played in 1971. He also played in the first World Cup final in 1975. He scored over fifty runs in half of his innings. His highest score was 86. In his last season, he scored 63 not out and 60 not out in two ODI matches. As captain, he won six and lost five of his 11 ODI matches. He is also known for hitting the first ever six in an ODI match.

Captaincy Statistics

The Chappell Stands at the Adelaide Oval, named after the famous cricketing family.

Ian Chappell's Legacy in Cricket

A documentary called The Chappell Era showed how important Chappell was to Australian cricket. It told the story of the Australian team's success under him. It also covered the fight for better player pay and the start of professional cricket through WSC. In the program, Chappell repeated his criticisms of how cricket was run back then.

Richie Benaud wrote that Chappell would be remembered for improving players' conditions. He also founded a players' association during the WSC period. This organization, later called the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), is now very important in Australian cricket. In 2005, Chappell became a member of the ACA executive.

Chappell has received many honors. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986. He also joined the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2003. Two new grandstands at the Adelaide Oval were named the Chappell Stands in 2003. The president of the South Australian Cricket Association called the Chappells "the most famous cricketing family in South Australia." In 2004, the Chappell–Hadlee Trophy was created. This is an annual series of ODI matches between Australia and New Zealand.

Chappell also strongly supports giving more recognition to the Australian Aboriginal cricket team in England in 1868. This was the first Australian sporting team to travel overseas.

Ian Chappell's Media Career

Following his grandfather Vic Richardson, who was a radio commentator, Chappell started working in the media in 1973. He wrote articles for magazines and newspapers. He also did television commentary before playing in WSC. In the 1980s, Chappell co-hosted Wide World of Sports for eight years. This was a popular sports show on Channel Nine. He also co-hosted Sports Sunday for five years.

Chappell started as a cricket commentator for Channel Nine in 1980–81. He continued this role until the network lost the Australian home cricket rights in 2018. He then became a radio commentator for Macquarie Sports Radio in 2018. Later, he moved to ABC Radio before retiring in August 2022.

Views on Captaincy

Chappell was very critical of the Underarm Incident in 1981. This involved his two younger brothers. He strongly disagreed with his brother Greg's tactic. He wrote that it sacrificed pride for money.

He also supported Rod Marsh to be Australian captain over Kim Hughes in the early 1980s. Chappell often criticized Hughes's batting and leadership. Hughes later resigned as captain. Chappell also had disagreements with Allan Border and Bob Simpson about coaching. He believed that Simpson took too much control from Border. Chappell still believes national teams do not need coaches.

Chappell was often critical of Steve Waugh as captain. He thought Waugh was a selfish player and not a creative captain. When Waugh became captain in 1999, Chappell said that a selfish player might get less from his teammates. Chappell felt Shane Warne should have been captain instead. Waugh later wrote that Chappell's criticism bothered him. But he learned to ignore it. Chappell rated Ricky Ponting as a better captain than Waugh.

Books and Writings

Chappell's first book, Tigers Among the Lions, was about the 1972 Ashes tour. He later published books with cricket humor and stories. His more serious book, The Cutting Edge, was about modern cricket. In 2005, a biography called Chappelli Speaks Out was released. It caused some debate because of Chappell's views on Steve Waugh. In 2006, he released a collection of his cricket writings called A Golden Age. He also writes regularly for ESPNcricinfo.

Ian Chappell's Personal Life

After school, Chappell worked as a clerk. He then worked in promotions for companies like Nestlé and WD & HO Wills. After eight years with Wills, he started his own company. It focused on advertising, promotion, and journalism. This has been his career ever since.

Chappell lives in Sydney with his wife, Barbara-Ann. He has a daughter named Amanda from his first marriage. In recent years, Chappell has spoken out for better treatment of asylum seekers in Australia. He also supports Australia becoming a republic, meaning it would no longer have the British monarch as its head of state. He was a founding member of the Australian Republic Movement.