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How a tip from Bradman launched Greg Chappell’s career
SEN • November 9th, 2025 12:00 pm
Aussie cricket great Greg Chappell is one of the finest batsmen the nation has ever produced.
In the Test format from 1970 to 1984, the former skipper made 24 and 7,110 runs at an average of 53.86, in so becoming Australia’s best bat since Don Bradman at the time.
Funnily enough, it was the sports greatest ever who also helped launch his career early during his time in First Class cricket playing for South Australia where Bradman was a board member and national team selector.
While he’d never spoke much to Bradman as a youngster, Chappell points to one small meeting and tip that he received from the greatest ever which revamped his game, leading to huge success later on.
“He’d come into the dressing room in the morning of a Shield game, they’d talk to the captain and a senior player, but us young blokes, we never got a look in,” Chappell told This is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“But I was standing in a gap in the dressing room that he had to walk through, so I had to say something, so I said, ‘Good morning, Donald’, and he said, ‘Good morning, Greg’.
“Then he turned to go but stopped and turned back, saying, ‘I’d change that grip if I were you’.
“So, I said, ‘What would you recommend’, and he said the grip I used worked pretty well, you can read about it in my book.
“I said, ‘But you’re here’, so I shoved the bat handle into his stomach and said, ‘Show me’, which he did.
“He showed me the neutral grip when the ‘V’ is down the back of the back and said, ‘It’ll feel strange because you’ve never done it before, but I’d persevere with it because it will help open up your off-side play’.”
After receiving the tip from the ‘Don’, Chappell commandeered two of his teammates to bowl to him as he tried out his new grip.
It was something that worked instantly for the right-hander.
“So, I grabbed two of our bowlers and headed to the nets because I was batting at five,” Chappell said.
“I said, ‘Do you mind bowling a few more balls, I want to try something’, it felt great from ball one.
“I used it that day and then from every day since in my career.”
Chappell spoke about his career and much more on this week’s episode.
Listen Chappell’s full episode with Sam Edmund below.
