Cricket fans and pundits are paying tribute to Ian Chappell‘s media career after the Australian icon revealed he’s calling it quits from writing after 52 years. The 81-year-old penned his final column for ‘ESPNcricinfo’ on Sunday, saying he knows the time is right.

“In my playing days, I asked former Australia captain Richie Benaud if retirement was a difficult decision,” he wrote. “‘No Ian,’ Benaud replied wisely, ‘It’s easy. You’ll know the right time’. Always astute, Benaud was correct. Retirement from journalism is similar to cricket – I knew the time was right.”

Chappell played 75 Tests and captained Australia before retiring in 1980. He immediately moved into the media and was part of Channel 9’s iconic commentary team in the 90s and 2000s featuring Benaud, Tony Greig and Bill Lawry. In recent years his media commitments have been confined to writing.

Ian Chappell grateful after calling it quits on writing career

He thanked his wife and bosses in his final column, as well as reflecting on some of his fondest memories as a journalist. “My wife Barbara-Ann has been a positive influence both as an excellent sub-editor and also by telling me, ‘Read the accomplished journalists, at least then you’ll know what good writing looks like,” he wrote.

“I’m extremely grateful to my bosses of more than two decades, Clayton Murzello of Mid-Day and Sambit Bal from Cricinfo. They’ve given me free rein and plenty of encouragement.

“There have been many pleasures from writing, notably Sachin Tendulkar combating Shane Warne in Chennai. Other highlights included writing about the genius of Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting’s aggression, and VVS Laxman’s classic 281 in Kolkata.

“For around 40 years I’ve been writing on a computer. The improvement over using a typewriter is mainly the ease of being able to cut and paste. It’s a big advance on having to discard, then rewrite copy paper. However, the time has come to close the writing section of my computer. I wish each and every one who has helped and befriended me along the way all the best in their future endeavours.”

Chappell also played 16 one-dayers for Australia and scored over 19,000 runs at first-class level. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009 he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

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Tributes have been flowing in on social media after Chappell’s final column. Many labelled it a “sad day”, but many more expressed their gratitude and congratulated Chappell on his legendary media career.

Fellow writer Rex Clementine posted: “Ian Chappell, despite his many achievements as Australia’s Test captain, could have easily relied on a ghostwriter for his columns. But he chose to craft them himself. As a famous Tamil proverb goes, ‘Work was worship’ for Chappell. His sharp, insightful writing will be missed.”