Greg Chappell: Australia's Elegant Batting Master

Greg Chappell is one of the finest batters Australia has produced — elegant, technically perfect, and possessed of the ability to dominate bowling attacks in any conditions. His Test average of 53.86 from 87 matches, with 24 centuries, places him among the game's elite. He was also a more than competent medium-pace bowler and outstanding slip fielder.

Batting Quality

Greg Chappell's batting was characterised by an upright stance, a minimal backlift for defensive shots, and an expansive, elegant follow-through on driving strokes. He played particularly well on the off side, driving through cover and extra cover with a purity of technique that drew comparison with some of cricket's most aesthetically pleasing batters. He was equally effective on the leg side and against pace and spin alike.

Captaincy

Greg Chappell captained Australia in 48 Tests with 21 wins, 14 draws, and 13 losses. He was a thoughtful captain who used bowlers intelligently and read the game well. His period as captain overlapped with the World Series Cricket revolution led by Kerry Packer, and like many Australian players, he was central to that movement.

The Underarm Incident

Greg Chappell's legacy is complicated by the underarm bowling incident of 1 February 1981. Australia needed to prevent New Zealand scoring six runs off the last ball to win an ODI. Chappell instructed his brother Trevor to bowl the final ball underarm along the ground — making it impossible to hit for six. It was legal but almost universally condemned as unsportsmanlike. The incident caused a diplomatic incident between Australia and New Zealand and led to underarm bowling being banned.