Ian Chappell

A Test match, especially one played between two skilful and evenly matched teams like Australia and India, is appropriately named. Each game is a searching test of the players’ skill, cricket intelligence and courage. In the first Test, at the Adelaide Oval, it also became a test of everyone’s patience while Cheteshwar Pujara was in […]

I was often asked an intriguing question during my playing days: “Why was Don Bradman so much better than any other batsman?” I didn’t have a satisfactory answer to the query. Nevertheless, I eradicated a couple of reasons for Bradman’s dominance. “It wasn’t his superior eyesight or reflexes,” I confidently said. Good reflexes and decent […]

There was a time when the BCCI distrusted the DRS. I’m no longer in lock-step with the BCCI on this because I still don’t have much faith in the DRS. It struggles to achieve at least two of the ICC’s prime objectives: arriving at the correct decision and eradicating the howler. So long as there […]

As racism is playing a prominent role in the current turbulent times, it’s worth reflecting on my experience of prejudice in and around cricket. As a youngster growing up in a family where there was no notable prejudice, despite being in the era of the White Australia Policy, I wasn’t really aware of racism. I […]

There will be some noticeable changes to the game when cricket resumes from its Covid-19 hiatus with one of the major differences being the way the ball is polished. It’s critical administrators produce the right response to the health challenges as swing bowling, along with wristspin, is a crucial part of attacking cricket. Both skills […]

Cricket reacted quickly and responsibly in shutting down the game to try to minimise the crushing effects of the coronavirus. The absence of any cricket gives me an opportunity to reflect on an aspect of the game I enjoy: watching a batsman utilise good footwork to combat top-class spin bowling. Two innings stand out: one […]

With sporting events dropping like flies it was only a matter of time before cricket joined the list of those seriously affected by the spread of the coronavirus. When the Premier League in England, football in Italy, and baseball and basketball in America suspend their playing schedules you know that sport is not the prime […]

Rohit Sharma scores a blistering hundred against West Indies while Virat Kohli suffers the ignominy of a golden duck. That’s the game of cricket: two of India’s best one-day batsmen experiencing opposite fates. In fact, an argument could be mounted that Kohli and Sharma are India’s best ever one-day batsmen. The obvious challengers would be […]

In an era where big bats and big scores, with the occasional monumental battering, have proliferated in ODIs, there are still some seriously good bowling attacks gearing up for the 2019 World Cup. Wicket-taking is going to play a crucial role in deciding this World Cup. Despite the modern gung-ho batting style, this is not […]