Cricket legend Greg Chappell finds himself in a financial predicament, with his friends rallying to create an online fundraising platform aimed at “enhancing his last few years,” as reported. Chappell, the 75-year-old former Australian captain and once-controversial head coach of the Indian team from 2005-2007, acknowledged that he isn’t in dire straits, but he’s far from living a life of luxury due to his cricketing career.
“I’m not on the bones of my a**e,” Chappell stated to News Corp. “I certainly don’t want it to sound like we’re in desperate straits, because we’re not but we’re not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that, because we played cricket, that we are all living in the lap of luxury. While I’m certainly not crying poor, we’re not reaping in the benefits that today’s players are,” he said.
Reluctantly, Chappell agreed to the establishment of a GoFundMe page for him, along with a testimonial lunch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), hosted by Eddie McGuire and attended by cricket legends, including brothers Ian and Trevor.
Chappell revealed that he is not the only player from his era facing financial challenges, highlighting that the landscape of professional cricket has evolved significantly since his retirement.
“It is just my friends who realized that we didn’t get a lot and just to make sure that Judy (his wife) and I were comfortable in our retirement,” Chappell explained. “To be fair, there are others of our era who are in more dire circumstances that could do with the help, and I don’t think the game has done enough for players of that era. Particularly in relation to the comparison with today’s era.”
“I believe the players that set the scene for what’s happening today should probably be recognized for the role they played in getting the game to where it is today,” Chappell added.
Chappell, along with Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh, was part of the iconic trio that defected to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s. However, unlike Lillee and Marsh, Chappell didn’t receive a fundraising testimonial at the end of his cricket career to provide financial security.
Chappell’s friends expressed concern, with Peter Maloney stating, “Greg is a very proud man. He’s doing it tougher than what he says.”
Additionally, Chappell is actively involved with the Chappell Foundation, which raises funds for homelessness charities. The foundation ensures that every cent raised is distributed annually, with Chappell refusing to keep any money for himself.
“The Chappell Foundation is run by Darshak Mehta, and they distribute it annually, so at the end of each year, they don’t leave any money, and they’re starting afresh,” Maloney explained. “Put it this way, we will probably end up raising about $250,000 out of it, and it will significantly enhance his last few years.”
Chappell’s impressive cricketing career saw him score 24 centuries across 87 Tests during the 1970s and 80s. He also captained Australia 48 times and retired from Tests in January 1984 as the highest run-getter (7,110) in Australian Test history, surpassing Sir Donald Bradman’s record of 6,996 runs.
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