Old warhorse Greg Chappell to retire as Australia selector after Ashes this year

One of Australia’s best-known cricketers who also had left quite an impact on Indian cricket in the mid-2000s, Greg Chappell is likely to retire from the dual positions of the selector and national talent manager after the end of this year’s Ashes. The 70-year-old, a member of one of the Baggy Greens’ most celebrated cricket family, has informed his colleagues in Cricket Australia (CA) about his decision to retire which would mark an end to a long association with CA spanning over three decades.

Known to be one of the best batsmen produced by Australia, Chappell scored over 7,000 runs in 87 Tests at an average of over 53 with a century in his first and last games. He became a selector after quitting the game in 1984 and served in the position in three separate stints: 1984-88, 2010-11 and 2016 till now. He also worked as the director of the erstwhile Australian Cricket Board in 1987-88 and as the head coach at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane (previously called Centre or Excellence) before getting appointed as the national talent manager in 2010.

Chappell picked young blood for Australia

Chappell had a lasting legacy as a selector as it was he who had picked young players who later went on to make names of their own – including Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon. He was also a man with a divided reception. He lost his place as a selector in 2011 in the wake of a review of Australia’s performance but was back in 2016 when the then chairman of selectors Rodney Marsh stepped down after the Kangaroos lost five consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka and South Africa.

He had become the coach of the Indian cricket team in 2005 but had an ugly rift with Sourav Ganguly and his stint ended with India’s poor performance in the 2007 World Cup.

The exit of Chappell, who is also infamous for the ‘underarm bowling’ of 1982, will be a low point at a time when Australia are struggling to build its new generation team in the wake of the temporary ban on Smith and Warner imposed last year. The side also lost its first-ever Test series at home against India recently though salvaged some pride by outplaying Sri Lanka in the next series which is underway.

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