Cricket legend Greg Chappell has revealed going through a financial struggle with his friends pitching in to set up an online fundraising platform to “enhance his last few years”, according to a report. The 75-year-old former Australia captain, who also had a controversial stint as the head coach of the Indian team from 2005-2007, admitted that he is doing fine but is certainly not living a life of luxury as a result of his cricketing career. “I’m not on the bones of my a**e,” Chappell told 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.
According to the report, Chappell “reluctantly” agreed to a GoFundMe page being set up for him, along with a testimonial lunch held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) last week – hosted by Eddie McGuire and attended by cricket greats, including brothers Ian and Trevor.
Chappell further said he is not the only player from his era who experienced financial difficulties, even though the landscape of professional cricket has come a long way since his retirement.
“It is just my friends who realised that we didn’t get a lot and just to make sure that Judy and I were comfortable in our retirement,” Chappell said.
“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 recognised for the role they played in getting the game to where it is today,” Chappell added.
Pacer Dennis Lillee, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, and Chappell were part of an iconic trio that defected to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s.
