Perceived tactical deficiencies and possibly growing concerns over his heavy drinking meant that Chapman was dropped from the team for the fifth Test against Australia in 1930.

[12] He failed in two trial games, organised prior to the 1920 cricket season to inform the selection of the Cambridge team, and despite his reputation, was omitted from the University's opening first-class match against Essex.

[23] Cambridge won easily, concluding Chapman's cricket at the university, but his innings impressed critics to the extent that he was again selected for the Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's.

[notes 3] This side, captained by Archie MacLaren and composed mainly of amateurs, was not particularly strong and contained several players chosen for their social standing rather than cricketing ability.

[2] Chapman batted once and scored eight runs; he drew praise from Wisden for an "amazing" catch on the last day as South Africa were heavily beaten.

The former Australian captain Monty Noble believed Chapman could be a good batsman if he curbed his aggression but The Cricketer considered his technique to be faulty.

Aware that England had beaten Australia only once in 19 matches, the selectors made several changes to the team; Chapman, at the time fourth in the national batting averages, replaced Carr as captain.

[68] During his innings, Wisden noted, Chapman "hit out in vigorous fashion",[69] but once he was dismissed for 49,[15] the remaining batsmen were out quickly, leaving England with a disappointing total of 280.

Naturally a scene of tremendous enthusiasm occurred at the end, the crowd swarming in thousands in front of the pavilion, and loudly cheering the players, both English and Australian.

"[69] The correspondent also commented "Chapman ... despite lack of experience in leading a first-class team in the field, turned out a very happy nomination for the post of captain, the young amateur, for the most part, managing his bowling with excellent judgement, and in two or three things he did, showing distinct imagination.

[73] He was selected to lead the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's for the first time,[75] and led representative sides in two of the three Test trials held that season; the press judged his captaincy to be good.

Although his captaincy continued to be highly regarded, there were concerns in the press over his increasing weight, although these were offset by his impressive fielding in that season's Tests.

[84][85] Sydney Southerton, writing of the English fielding, said: "The high note was struck by Chapman himself at Brisbane when, with a catch that will be historic, he dismissed Woodfull ...

It is my opinion that catch had a pronounced effect on the course of events in the three subsequent Tests  ... [Chapman's fielding] exercised a most restraining influence on the Australian batsmen.

[15][90] In the third Test, England began the fourth innings requiring 332 to win on a rain-damaged pitch, a task critics believed impossible.

However, in the match against Victoria which followed the fourth Test, the crowd barracked the MCC team when Chapman brought on Harold Larwood, a fast bowler, to bowl against Bert Ironmonger, the number eleven,[94] a tactic regarded as unsporting.

[17] Southerton summarised his performance: "Chapman himself began well in batting but in the later matches was too prone to lash out at the off ball and, as the tour progressed, the Australian bowlers discovered his weakness.

Before the Test series, Chapman was not a unanimous choice among press correspondents; several critics believed he should not be in the team on account of his rapidly increasing weight—former England captain Pelham Warner suggested he needed to lose at least two stone—and concern over his poor batting form.

[113] According to cricket writer Leo McKinstry, the selectors lost faith in Chapman on account of his inconsistent, risky batting and his increased tactical shortcomings.

However, McKinstry also writes that the selectors and other influential members of the cricketing establishment were privately concerned by Chapman's heavy drinking which they felt was affecting his leadership.

"[109] In the final Test, Bradman scored another century and England lost the match and series, although Wyatt played a substantial innings, and Wisden conceded Chapman could have made little difference except as a fielder.

[17] Already chosen as tour captain before the final 1930 Ashes Test,[119] Chapman led an MCC team to a 1–0 series defeat in South Africa the following winter.

[129] Before Chapman assumed the Kent captaincy, the county team was sharply divided along social lines and the amateur leadership was aloof from and often dismissive of the professional players.

[133] Jardine's captaincy in 1931 left critics unimpressed and C. Stewart Caine, the editor of Wisden, wrote that "the impression appears to be widely entertained that Chapman, were he in [batting] form, would again be given charge of the [England] team.

He writes: "Chapman's was just the kind of daredevil approach that is remembered with affection and, even though it was barely a year since he had lost the leadership, his reign was being regarded through rose-coloured specs.

[15] Teammates and observers noticed that in the final years of his career, Chapman frequently left the field during matches, and they suspected he was drinking in the pavilion.

[145] Cricket writer R. C. Robertson-Glasgow described him as: "Tall, strong, and lithe, he was a left-handed hitter with orthodox defence, much of which was rendered unnecessary by a vast reach, and an ability to drive good-length balls over the head of mid-off, bowler, and mid-on.

[2] He always appeared happy, but Gibson observes "that is the way some men disguise their unhappiness",[108] and Lemmon suggests that Chapman was seeking acceptance and felt lonely at heart.

He was frequently observed to be drunk in public, although his appearance and manners remained impeccable; the cricket establishment ignored him, regarding him as an embarrassment, particularly on the occasions he watched matches at Lord's.

"[158] Swanton concluded his obituary of Chapman in 1961: "The elderly and the middle-aged will recall him rather in his handsome sunlit youth, the epitome of all that was gay and fine in the game of cricket.