Khawaja's perfectly cheeky Chappelli comeback after being labelled a 'good player against mediocre bowling'

.... and look at Paul McCartney trashing Lennon and Jagger of late???

I've always thought that Ponting bowling those part-timers were some of his dumbest moves as a captain. I don't rate Ponting.

I agree that Chappelli's pontification about Hughes was an extremely terrible and unsavoury episode. They have since smoked a pipe.

Ian left the captaincy because the ACB couldn’t handle his forthrightness and authenticity. Kerry wanted Ian back as captain because he had skin the game, money, and wanted the best for the WSC. Greg easily acquiesced to Ian ascending the captaincy. —— Then there was the captain-at-home-only and no touring by Greg which sullied the office and put Kim Hughes to the sword. Greg was hand-puppeted by Ian in that 5:1 series win in 75-76. Ian was a leader. Greg was one our best bats but give me Ian on a bowler’s pitch anyway of the week.

The trouble with Chappell is once he forms an opinion of you, that’s it. There is no going back…no changing and no evolving. I have run out of times the number of times he has panned Steve Waugh’s captaincy based on the Dravid/Laxman partnership at Kolkata and contrasted it with Ponting’s captaincy. Really? Ponting? Anyone remember Ponting bowling part time spinners at a crucial time in the series in India in 2008 so as to avoid falling foul of the poor over rate and getting banned? Waugh said that Chappell may be like this because Steve Waugh wasn’t the sort of guy who would be sitting in the bar listening to Chappell and others talking…he preferred to be doing his own thing.

Thanks Vas, Time to put this to bed now.

Sheek, GC's aggregate of 702 and average of 117 v IC's 449 and 44.9 in that series suggests the Windies were concentrating on the wrong brother, moot though it may have been. No doubt in the previous series between the 2 sides in 1972-3 Ian had been the key batsman and maybe that prompted the Windies' thinking going into the series. I think their career figures bear out the view that Greg was the better bat of the two (and bowler and arguably fielder). I don't know what their respective win/loss/draw figures are as captains but regardless few would dispute that while Greg was a perfectly decent captain, Ian was one of the greats.

There is a lot about Chappell that is to be admired, with what he has done for Australian cricket. While some of his opinions hold merit, it is clear it is done with an ideological bent, which is something Shane Warne has embraced as well. To me, his comments on Khawaja appear to have weight, but the flaw is that the same criticism applies to a lot of the other players who have donned the cap for the last decade. Yet Khawaja is the target - is this a mere coincidence, or is it done as a way to diminish the status of Khawaja whilst uplifting the cases of others who have equally collapsed in the face of good bowling attacks? The other issue is form: Chappell has previously had numerous cracks at Khawaja, so much so you can't help but feel there is an agenda. Only the man himself can state if there is, but given its repeated occurrence, Khawaja is entitled to bite back. We rely on our legends to provide commentary and opinion so as to uplift the debate, not besmirch it with standards they selectively apply to some and not all.

But isn't this all subjective fodder? I mean, what you brand as others being sensitive could just be that they're annoyed? And vice-versa? For the record, Chappell's entitled to his opinion, guided or misguided. As is Khawaja is entitled to the response, guided or misguided. As Paul McCartney once beautifully said: let it be.

Ian Chappell was a great captain and a fine batsman and has many good qualities on and off the field and in this case, his criticism of Khawaja may seem both appropriate but also petty at the same time. The problem with Chappelli over the years though is that although the opinion of him is of being forthright and honest, there is a history of his criticism being mean, spiteful and vindictive to those he doesn't like. For those old enough to remember- I give you Kim Hughes. I cannot think of any player anywhere in the world in my lifetime who has ever been subjected to such nasty criticism throughout his career from a former captain. Neil Harvey would pass comment on Allan Border once a year...Chappell would do it every week. Add that to the fact that Chappell's mates were still in the team at the time and were doing the undermining from within as well. Sorry but some of us find it to hard to forgive and forget...although ironically, Kim Hughes himself has done so!

True, but the pitch conditions made it tougher than facing better bowlers on a flatter track.

Oh I doubt that. He might get angry but he will care in some way.

No one is saying he wasnt a great captain. You are clearly taking it personal to conflate the two. He is wrong here. Usman has made two great scores in very challenging conditions this season. He is better than all the other bats in the comp apart from maybe S.Marsh" Will P and Green. Marsh is not being picked and Green is an incumbant so unless Chappelli can magic more players to pick from out of thin air Usman should be in the front of the cue.

You mean three? And one of those isnt in good form and couldnt get Shield batsmen out last year, but yeah sure

Jameswm, The leading bowlers in Australia aren’t participating in the Sheffield Shield. Many, anyway.

Ian was hand-puppetting Greg in that series.

He averaged over 50 whilst captain. I’d love to be that terrible. That’s if you are referring to Khawaja.

Lloyd knew how good Ian was. He learnt some lessons. Ian loved his spinners, too, it wasn't all speedsters in his day by any stretch. Great skipper, turned Oz cricket around in quick time.

He wasn’t batting well in any games though.

You keep saying the comment was accurate Sheek. Can you provide evidence?