Gilchrist joins commentary team

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Adam Gilchrist will walk straight from his days in international cricket into a television career after signing with Australia's Channel Nine. More... Retiring keeper takes up television role Gilchrist joins commentary team Cricinfo staff March 2, 2008 Adam Gilchrist has been miked up for Twenty20 games and he is set to continue entertaining viewers in his retirement © Getty Images Adam Gilchrist will walk straight from his days in international cricket into a television career after signing with Australia's Channel Nine. Gilchrist will join the commentary team next season, alongside his former team-mates Mark Taylor and Michael Slater, and old pros like Richie Benaud and Bill Lawry. He is set to make his on-screen debut later this month when he co-hosts the revived sports show Wide World of Sports on March 30. Gilchrist said it would be difficult to suddenly switch from being one of the on-field stars to analysing the game from afar. "I've been amazed at how many people have said they're expecting me to walk straight into the commentary box," Gilchrist told the Sunday Telegraph. "I'd be reticent to sit up and try to pass judgment and comment on my team-mates, who I've just walked away from so, maybe in a different type of role, you might see me around a few games of cricket." Wide World of Sports will return from a ten-year break on March 16 with the anchor Ken Sutcliffe to be joined by a revolving team of co-hosts. Last week Gilchrist filmed promotions for the show and he earned the praise of his colleague, a veteran of Australian sports broadcasting. "He's frighteningly good," Sutcliffe said. "He's a natural."

[King]

Good stuff I quite like this move. While he was hooked to the mic in the Twenty20s Gilly was excellent. I hope Channel 9 gets rid of Ian Chappell, Richie Benaud and the likes and include the latest players. It's time Channel 9 commentary team needs some young blood.

[sm332]

Good stuff I quite like this move. While he was hooked to the mic in the Twenty20s Gilly was excellent. I hope Channel 9 gets rid of Ian Chappell' date=' Richie Benaud and the likes and include the latest players. It's time Channel 9 commentary team needs some young blood.[/quote'] if all the young blood is like Healy ... I will gladly take the old fogies

[King]

if all the young blood is like Healy ... I will gladly take the old fogies

Healy isn't young Sameer. He retired from international cricket ages ago. I would rather see commentators that have recently retired rather than ones that played many decades ago. They expect the current players to play like they did many decades ago without realizing world has moved on.

[Cricketics]

good.. the kind of nature he has.. we can easily expect some sensible commentry from him.. not just criticizing a player all the time but actually talking sense while sitting there next to bill lawry and co.. good move there by GILLY

[Mr. Wicket]

Not necessarily, ravi. Good commentary remains good commentary, regardless of era. The best commentators are the ones capable of understanding and commenting intelligently (note: I said intelligently, not necessarily *neutrally*) on the game. Look at Geoff Boycott, Ravi Shastri, Richie Benaud, Allan Donald, Bill Lawry, Kerry O'Keefe, Michael Holding, Ian Bishop and Mike Atherton. All played in different time spans, yet understand the game and are excellent to listen to. There are others like Ian Healy, Arun Lal, Ian Botham and Rameez Raja, who would be excruciatingly painful to listen to any day regardless of how recently they had played. Whether Arun Lal played in the 1950s, 1970s or 2000s is irrelevant when he goes on rambling about vegetarian sausages, wagtails and eagles. And even if Healy just hung up his boots ten days or ten years ago, he'd still be an annoying barracking git to listen to. Give me good commentators and I'm happy. Although FWIW, I'm happy to see Gilchrist joining the team. I've quite enjoyed his insights, but I just hope he can restrain his instincts to jump and go WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH half the time when the ball hits the pads.

[Mandrake]

Will be good to see Gilly in the comm box...hope he replaces that shameless moron Healy.

[cricket my love]

Good stuff I quite like this move. While he was hooked to the mic in the Twenty20s Gilly was excellent. I hope Channel 9 gets rid of Ian Chappell' date=' Richie Benaud and the likes and include the latest players. It's time Channel 9 commentary team needs some young blood.[/quote'] Ian Chappell is the best cricket commentator around and you want to get rid of him because he said something bad ( realistic) about Sachin?

[Cricketics]

^haha, @ best cricket commentator.. btw good that u bring ian chappel.. actually i am wondering if gilly would be annoyed to sit next to Ian Chappell, after all chappell called "even my grand daughter would have taken that catch" when gilly dropped a sitter a while back.. also chappell wanted gilly to consider retirement early Gilly would love to have a go @ him in commentry box often

[Rajiv]

Oh jeezz...hope he doest transform like those nutjobs

[Holysmoke]

Ian Chappell is the best cricket commentator around and you want to get rid of him because he said something bad ( realistic) about Sachin?

chappel is the best?:hysterical:

[Zakhmi]

Good Gilly has chosen a better choice than first taking a break and then playing for some club or provincial team. Hey, is he not there in IPL?