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Ian Chappell, the former captain of Australia, concluded his five-decade journalism career on Sunday. He wrote his last column for ESPNcricinfo on February 23, 2025. He felt that it was time to "put down the pen and pack away the computer" and move on from his second innings, stating that quitting writing was as emotionally taxing as retiring from cricket.
"I've been writing for over 50 years, but the time has come and this will be my last column. Retirement from journalism is similar to cricket - I knew the time was right," said the former Aussie captain.
“In my playing days I asked former Australia captain Richie Benaud if retirement was a difficult decision. 'No Ian,' Benaud replied wisely, 'It's easy. You'll know the right time'.”
The Australian went on to say that although he was meticulous about deadlines, his wife helped him get near to them sometimes.
"Despite that stumble, I never missed a deadline - I came close a couple of times but was never late. My wife Barbara-Ann has been a positive influence both as an excellent sub-editor and also by telling me. However, the time has come to close the writing section of my computer. I wish each and every one who has helped and befriended me along the way all the best in their future endeavours. I will miss filing a column, as writing has been a favoured task. A writing career spanning more than 50 years means I surpassed my journey both as a cricketer and a broadcaster. A justifiable part of writing is, it's all your own work -- it might be rubbish but at least it's your rubbish."
Chappell mentions Sachin Tendulkar
Chappell mentioned the 1998 Chennai Test match between India batting great Sachin Tendulkar and the late great Shane Warne as one of the highlights of his 52-year career. The 81-year-old claimed that it was one of the few quality pieces he had written, along with the famous 281 that VVS Laxman scored against Australia in Kolkata.
"There have been many pleasures from writing, notably Sachin Tendulkar combating Shane Warne in Chennai. Other highlights included writing about the genius of Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting's aggression, and VVS Laxman's classic 281 in Kolkata," Chappell wrote.
