Breaking News: Adam Gilchrist retires

[DomainK]

Akhtar's body probably won't last more than a couple of years. On the other hand, by the time the World Six6 final is held in Beijing 60 years from now, Afridi'll probably be celebrating his 32nd birthday...

:laugh: :laugh:

[SachDan]

The cricketer I admired most after Sachin.... Game has lost one of its best ambassador for sure....its been a sparkling career with utmost positive cricket. :congrats::congrats:

[Anakin]

Definitely the best wk/batsman of the modern era, probably all time as well. Well played Gilly (wish you had kept your mouth shut about walking and etc. but well played) :hatsoff::hatsoff:

[IndianRenegade]

Good bye gilly.... Cricket is devoid of another of its legends.....

[Sachinism]

goodbye :D

[putrevus]

If Sachin was Australian, they would have made him retire like gilly two years ago when he was struggling

[koksmayu]

breaking news Adam Gilchrist retire greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen the game has ever produced and who led his team to a historic Test series win against India in 2004-05, today announced his retirement from international cricket ending his illustrious career spanning over 12 years. The 36-year-old Gilchrist, who had come under scrutiny for a series of wicketkeeping blunders during the ongoing series against India, chose to hang his gloves a day after breaking South African Mark Boucher's record of highest dismissals by a wicketkeeper. The ongoing fourth and final Test will be his last appearance in the longer version of the game while he will end his one-day career after the subsequent Tri-Series. The stumper, who is currently playing his 96th Test, will finish his career while at the top of the table of the game's leading wicketkeepers by dismissal, having so far taken 414 dismissals (377 caught, 37 stumped), at an incredible 2.178 scalps per innings. "It is with great pride and happiness that I make the decision to retire from Test and One-day cricket. I've come to this decision after much thought and discussion with those most important to me," Gilchrist said in a statement issued by Cricket Australia. taking knocks against India, will be remembered for being the captain of the team which conquered the 'final frontier' when they India at home in 2004-05 for the first time in 35 years. Against India, Gilchrist scored 1556 runs in 39 one-dayers for an average of 42.05 and 795 runs in 17 Tests for an average of 28.39. The Australian Vice-Captain has scored 17 centuries, maximum by a wicketkeeper, and 26 fifties in Tests and 15 hundreds and 53 half-centuries in ODIs. Gilchrist made it to the Australian squad at a relatively advanced age when he replaced Ian Healy in the side. He gradually became one of the key members in the all-conquering Australian team and lent depth to the batting order. His stellar career also includes the second fastest ever century in Test history -- against England in December 2006 in Perth. He reached his hundred in 57 balls, one more than Sir Viv Richards. In the same innings he broke the record for the most runs during Ashes, plundering 24 from a Monty Panesar over. He has also scored hundreds against all nine Test opponents and has also hit more sixes than any other batsman in Test history, recording his hundredth six during the recent match against Sri Lanka in Hobart in 2007. Gilchrist has to his credit the feat of claiming 10 dismissals in a Test against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2000, the first Australian to do so and the third keeper from any country to capture as many victims in a single Test. "I am now ready and excited to move into the next phase of my life," said Gilchrist, who has so far compiled 5556 runs in 95 Tests for an average of 47.89 and 9297 runs in 277 ODIs for an average of 36.03.

[IndianRenegade]

http://indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=88445

[Cricketics]

man my gilly would leave cricket.. shoot o nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo GILLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS BYE BYE GILLY, PLEAZE WHACK THE LANKANZ A LOT DURING ODI TRI SERIES.. BYE BYE

[yoda]

great career. another clue to indian cricketers on how to retire instead of getting dumped.

[kabira]

>another clue to indian cricketers on how to retire instead of getting dumped. who knows they were planning to dump for the next tour to Pakistan..Remember Gilly just few days back said he will play next Ashes...and his time has yet not come.. so why suddenly he retires??

[ludhianvi]

Really surprising. Well Played Gilchrist. He has redefined the wicketkeeper/batsmen role. One of the greats of the game.

[kumble_rocks]

Well played Gilly .. Good to retire before you are forced out ...

[yoda]

>another clue to indian cricketers on how to retire instead of getting dumped. who knows they were planning to dump for the next tour to Pakistan..Remember Gilly just few days back said he will play next Ashes...and his time has yet not come.. so why suddenly he retires??

doesn't matter what the reasons are. he "somehow" figured out that he is most likely not wanted for long and knew to get out before getting dumped. it also helps if you have a cooperative and understanding board and a set of selectors who probably have a more open discussion with these players instead of embarassing them one fine day.

[Ram]

Thrice world cup winner, multiple Man of the match in world cup finals, Part of the team that won a record 16 matches in a row, twice, world record holder for most number of dismissals for a keeper and multiple Ashes winner ! Gilly, I take a bow ! :congrats: :congrats: :congrats:

[MundaPakistani]

right time to go! Dream cricketer.

[Bumper]

My fav Aussie cricketer, if there was ever one! Gilly was a trend setter in many ways. He set new standards for wicket keeper-batsmen, inspiring each test playing nation to look for batting as more of a criteria (than wicket keeping skills) in picking their wicket keepers. Tho his intentions behind walking are much criticised, to walk in a world cup semis, is admirable. The prevailing poor umpiring standards meant that walking could not be emulated by his fellow test cricketers. His 149 against Pakistan, his centuries in alien conditions vs India, his captaincy leading to Australia's first BG trophy victory in India in decades, his numerous world cup final feats would have to be his career highlights. A great cricketer and a great ambassador of the game.

[Guest Hiten.]

yet another cricketer retires who I kept a close eye on while growing up. he revolutionized the role of wicket keeper-batsman. :(( :((

[CC1981]

Great great cricketer. He will be sorely missed. Btw, on the 'greatest wicketkeeper-batsman' tag, it amazes me how soon people forget of one ANDY FLOWER- DEFINITELY a better batsman than Gillchrist in Tests, though slightly worse in keeping IMO.

[Guest Hiten.]

All-out attack: Gilchrist's top six He says he didn't know it at the time, but Adam Gilchrist's 57-ball century against England in 2006-07 was the second-fastest in Test history © Getty Images 149* v Pakistan, Hobart, 1999-2000 It was one of the great comebacks after Australia fell to 5 for 126. They were chasing 369 for victory and the top order, boasting plenty of experience with the Waugh brothers, Michael Slater and Ricky Ponting, had failed. Gilchrist, on the other hand, was playing in only his second Test and he and Justin Langer combined for 238 in 59 overs to set up the win. His unbeaten 149 took just 163 deliveries, and featured 13 fours and a six. Steve Waugh later said he looked like he was playing in his own backyard. It was the first of many times that Gilchrist would turn a game on its head. 204* v South Africa, Johannesburg, 2001-02 An emotional man, Gilchrist cried on reaching one of many milestones in the innings after being the victim of a vicious internet rumour. He was brutal throughout the performance which at the time was the fastest double-century in Test history, his 204 coming from 213 balls. Eight sixes were thrashed, most over midwicket, as he showed his amazing power in a performance that would remain his highest. 122 v India, Mumbai, 2000-01 It was 99 for 5 when Gilchrist walked in. Only Matthew Hayden stood his ground in the hot cauldron as Harbhajan Singh ran amok. In a couple of hours he changed the face the game and the contest. Sweeping, cutting and lofting, he raced to an 84-ball century, the fastest by a visiting batsman on Indian soil. Even if he was playing his first Test in India, the foreign conditions didn't matter. He took risks, survived clear chances and half chances, but never retreated. 113 v Pakistan, Sydney, 2004-05 The scorecard shows Stuart MacGill as the Man of the Match and Ricky Ponting as the dominant batsman with 207, but it was Gilchrist's 109-ball century that really wrested the match away from Pakistan. It was his 13th Test hundred - he passed Andy Flower's record for a wicketkeeper-batsman - and featured scintillating striking towards the end. He brought up the milestone with a straight six off Shahid Afridi and had raced within reach thanks to consecutive sixes pulled off Mohammad Asif. For Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Akhtar, who had also been part of the Pakistan team Gilchrist destroyed in Hobart five years earlier, there was a touch of déjà vu. 102* v England, Perth, 2006-07 Only Viv Richards has reached a century faster than the 57 balls it took Gilchrist on his home ground in the 2006-07 Ashes. On a boiling Perth day he sizzled, taking to Monty Panesar (24 runs in an over that started with a dot) and Matthew Hoggard in a stunning burst, which included 12 fours and four sixes. Had he known about the record he could have broken it, but no message came from the dressing room, and he was glad he didn't get there. "Viv deserves that mantle as the fastest hundred," he said. 149 v Sri Lanka, World Cup final, Bridgetown, 2006-07 It's one thing to blast runs in any old ODI, but only the best of the best save their finest moments for the biggest stage. Gilchrist's 149 in the World Cup final gave spectators reason to remember the match for pure cricketing brilliance, not its farcical finish in the dark. After morning drizzle made the fans nervously check their schedules for the reserve day, Gilchrist reminded them why they were there. He belted eight sixes in his 129-ball display, and for a while it seemed he could make 200 even in an innings reduced to 38 overs. He was so mesmerising that occasional boos came from the crowd when he gave the strike to Matthew Hayden. Squash ball or not, this was undoubtedly the pinnacle of a glittering ODI career. © Cricinfo