Australian cricket community supports Greg Chappell amid financial hardship
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell has received support from the Australian cricket community amid financial hardship. A revered figure in Australian cricket, Chappell is known for his accomplishments as a player, captain, and coach. However, unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not have a fundraising testimonial event at the end of his career. Here are further details.
Testimonial lunch organized at MCG
A testimonial lunch was organized at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground by the Australian cricket community to show their support for Chappell. The event also featured his brothers and former cricketers Ian and Trevor Chappell. Eddie McGuire hosted the lunch. Moreover, a GoFundMe page was created to provide financial assistance to the cricketing legend. News Corp reported Chappell reluctantly agreed to receive the fund.
We're not living in luxury: Chappell
While Chappell admitted that he is not in desperate straits, the cricketing legend said he is not enjoying a luxurious life like his contemporaries. "I think most people assume that because we played cricket that we are all living in the lap of luxury," Chappell told News Corp. "While I'm certainly not crying poor, we're not reaping in the benefits that today's players are."
A look at his numbers
Chappell served Australia between 1970 and 1983. The 72-year-old represented Australia in 87 Tests and 74 ODIs. He owns 7,110 at 53.86 and 2,331 runs at 40.18 in the two formats, respectively. Chappell has also captained Australia in a total of 97 internationals. He smashed 27 tons for his country across formats besides slamming 45 fifties.
Chappell's coaching stint with Indian team
Chappell was named Team India's head coach in 2005 and his tenure was marred with controversies. Soon after his appointment, reports of his duel with the then-captain Sourav Ganguly emerged. Ganguly was later sacked as captain and dropped from the Indian squad. However, Chappell resigned from the post soon after India's debacle in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
