The Chappell bias

Ian Chappell is a noted cricket commentator and analyst. His views are well received and appluaded for the balance he maintains. Just like normal beings, these famous personalities also show their true colors sometimes. The underlying bias just cannot hide! Today morning I was reading how Ricky Ponting should continue with the game in his current state and should not think about retirement. How did the same Chappell advocate the best cricketer of our times to retire?

It is funny to read the rationale he used 4 years back. Chappell mocks the double hundred that Sachin scored at SCG saying Sachin labored through the innings. That is 200 runs guys! Any level cricketer would die to score a 100, let alone 200. How Chappell used that performance to say Sachin needs to retire is beyond my understanding? Chappell continued to say that if Sachin is not performing at his peak, he should retire.

Compare that with what he says of Ponting now.

It's doubtful if Ponting can consistently produce big innings like in his glory days, but if he's prepared to play at a slightly lower standard, he can still be a useful contributor to this young team.

So, Ponting can continue if he is valuable enough, but Sachin should retire because he showed less agility in scoring a 200? How are people like Chappell allowed to comment when the inherent bias clearly creeps up? Is that envy on Sachin? I am not going to say Chappell shows discrimination but who knows! This is only an example of Chappell's bias. There are numerous other instances when Chappell showed his true colors. What is the difference between an ordinary Australian fan and a noted columnist then if both behave in the same way? I used Australian fan as an example only, but you can substitute a cricket fan from any country who show obvious jealously on a cricketing great from a different country. I don't even want to talk about Greg Chappell because he is an acknowledged worldwide fool.

The stats are also heavily stacked up against Chappell's commentary. Sachin scored test runs at a 58.88 average in tests (career average is 56), 50.13 in ODIs vs Ponting's average of 39 (career average 52) in tests and 45 in ODIs since 2007.

While Ponting is still scoring runs at a decent enough average to continue in the team, Chappell should stop his bias against cricketing greats from other countries. It is time for Ian Chappell to retire from all forms of commentary effective immediately. Somebody convey this message to him.