Tribute to Adam Gilchrist on turning 50 today-Amongst 10 best cricketers ever?

[Harsh Thakor]

Today Adam Gilchrist turns50.Arguably no cricketer in his day was as dynamic or volatile or could as single handedly turn a match.I simply can't forget the manner he simply blazed away when the chips were down to ressurect his team from the grave to attain glory.Gilchrist took bowling domination to regions unexplored,reminding one of a bomber raiding an airbase.His cavalier style of batting was a joy for spectators.Perhaps no cricketer after Viv Richards was as intimidating ,including Virendra Sehwag.It was routine to see Gilchrist strike thunder and lightning on the cricket field.Gilly was capable of inventing strokes to belittle the greatest bowlers.Nonone better delivered a knockout punch,or hijack a game better,to take a bowing attack to submission.When he exploded he was simply unbowlable.For sheer killer instinct ,mental tenacity or temperament few cricketers may ever have surpassed Gilly.I have never seen a batsman so clinically carve out a victory as Gilly.

 

In the first half of his career Gilchrist averaged over 60.which no batmen at 5 down ever did.In the latter half he strangely averaged around 36.Since Clyde Walcott had a better batting average.Only 4 batsmen have ever averaged more than 60 in test cricket after completing 20 innings.In the end he bid farewell to test cricket scoring 5570 runs ,at an average of 47.61.

 

Perhaps more than even Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne,Gilchrist was responsible for turning Australia into one of the best test and ODI sides of all time.

 

To me his unbeaten 149 at Hobart  of just 163 balls against Pakistan to ressurect Australia from dire straits to achieve a famous victory was his best test innings.On a most challenging track Gilchrist was reminiscent f a surgeon performing a successful operation who wason the verge of death.It was an exhibition of mental tenacity at it's peak and strokeplay of the highest calibre.His double century in South Africa at Johannesburg of a mere 212 balls was another classic and so was his 149 in the 2007 world cup final.In 2005 at Christchurch his 121 turned the game 360 degrees.At Kandy  in 2004,batting at no 3 he compiled a masterpiece scoring 144 from 185 balls.

 

 

It is pertinent that he was at his best against the most powerful South African team,home and away.Gilchrist also gave outstanding performances in the sub-continent and England,He was one of the major architects of Australia regaining the Ashes as well as winning in the sub-continent.

 

As an opening batsmen in ODI cricket,in terms of sheer impact he surpassed all.Wasim Akram and Waqar Younus felt he was a more daunting proposition than anyone.

 

 

Statistically he was the greatest match-winner of his day,In that light he even overshadowed the likes of Tendulkar and Lara.In 24 of his first 30 tests he was on the winning side.

 

 

The strike rate of Adam Gilchrist is the second best ever,at 82,62 pr hundred balls.Blending his batting average with his average and number of tests played,makes Gilchrist a strong contender for a place amongst the very greatest.

 

As a wicket keeper Gilchrist averaged more dismissals per test than any wicket keeper.

 

Above all he was a great sportsman ,who always walked,regardless of the decision of the umpire.This feature is almost non existent today.I can never forget when he walked when given not out in the 2003 world cup semi-final and his sporting declaration at Leeds in 2001.

 

 

Cristopher Martin Jenkins and Geoff Armstrong place Gilly amongst the 10 best  cricketers of all,even ahead of Brian Lara ,Wasim Akram ,Glen Mcgrath and Richard Hadlee.However David Gower ranks him at 40th place ,much below Jenkins and Armstrong.Overall in my view Gilchrist would rank around 20th amongst the all-time great cricketers.By a nose I would rate Wasim and Lara ahead.Amongst Australain cricketers I would rank Gilly below only Bradman,,Warne Lillee,Greg Chapell,Ricky Pontinga and Ray Lindwall. Amongst left-handed cricketers only Sobers,Wasim Akram, and Lara rate above him in my view.I took into account that he was not the best ever behind the stumps ,batted at 5 down and payed for a champion team.I would have loved to have seen Gilchrist play for a weak side like Lara ,which may have been his true test.

 

I would rate Gilchrist as the bets match-winner of his era with Inzamam Ul Haq and the most explosive batsman with Virendra Sehwag.

 

 

It is hard to choose between Alan Knott,,Gilchrist and AB Devillers for an all-time test XI. Knott was a better keeper while Devillers was a more innovative batsmen.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Harsh Thakor

[Khota]

Knotty was impressive but so was Engineer. They were good keepers with ok batting skill

 Gilchrist was the best. No one comes close.