SYDNEY: Australian cricket great Ian Chappell says that he is retiring from commentating after 45 colourful years behind the microphone.

The 78-year-old former batsman went into media work after captaining his country and was known for his frank opinions.

Chappell told The Sydney Morning Herald that retiring from commentating had been on his mind for some time.

“I had a minor stroke a few years back and I got off lucky, but it just makes everything harder,” Chappell, who made his Test debut in 1964 and played 75 times, told the newspaper.

“And I just thought with all the travel and walking up stairs and things like that, it’s all just going to get harder.” Chappell said he had taken notice of comments by recently retired veteran rugby league commentator Ray Warren.

“He said, ‘You’re always one sentence closer to making a mistake,’” Chappell added.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2022