Gilchrist hints at retirement at the end of the season

[apocalypse]

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has hinted that he might bid adieu to international cricket at the end of this season. Revealing that he had pondered retirement during the last season's Ashes series, the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman said that he was uncertain whether he would continue playing in the next season. "I'm not sure if I'll be back here next year, but with the way I feel at the moment the intention is to try and get right through," Gilchrist said at a luncheon in Brisbane ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka. "I wondered whether last summer might be my last one," Gilchrist said at a luncheon in Brisbane ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka. I just thought I would go along and enjoy it, and then the World Cup came and that was a real shot of adrenaline. We have had two good off-seasons the last two winters, and over the next three or four years cricketers will not see that kind of time off. It was very timely for me," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying. The decision will come as a major blow to the Australian team, which is about to embark on its most hectic period of cricket - incorporating 23 Tests, a Champions Trophy and numerous other limited-overs series before the end of 2008, The Daily said. Gilchrist, who will turn 36 between the Brisbane and Hobart Tests, had earlier said that he would consider retiring from One-Day International cricket to prolong his Test career. If he maintains his streak of consecutive matches, Gilchrist will equal Rod Marsh's mark of 96 Test appearances by the end of this summer. Only Ian Healy, with 119, has played more Tests among Australian wicketkeepers.

http://cricket.indiatimes.com/Gilchrist_ponders_over_retirement/articleshow/2522505.cms

[Tapioca]

Good time to move to Red Sox.

[apocalypse]

lol

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[sm332]

has to come at some time

[Cricketics]

would be pretty sad day whenever it comes.. love to watch this guy play..

[MundaPakistani]

Good time to move to Red Sox.

yeah from one winning team to another.

[Chaos]

one of the greatest unsung legends of the game. For me, he is up there after: tendu, lara. His keeping and batting has Revolutionized people like dhoni.

[Mr. Wicket]

A legend, but let's see if he lasts as long as the end of the season. His form's been hit and miss in both forms for a while - IMO he should really have stepped down after the WC final and the hundred - and Braddin's really doing everything he can with bat and gloves to put a lot of pressure on him.

[Ram]

Agree. He should have retired from one-dayers atleast after WC 2007. I am quite sure he would have been tempted to, but was persuaded against doing so by ACB.

[Mr. Wicket]

Doubtful. CA would have had an easier time replacing him than the bowlers, with Brad Haddin in spectacular form, and Luke Ronchi really shaping up well at WA.

[Ram]

At the least i am sure the aussie team management would have dissuaded from leaving along with Mcgrath and Warne. I remember , earlier too there was some speculation about Gilchrist's retirement.

[Online]

It's all false - he will play for at least 2 more years

[Donny]

A legend' date=' but let's see if he lasts as long as the end of the season. His form's been hit and miss in both forms for a while - IMO he should really have stepped down after the WC final and the hundred - and Braddin's really doing everything he can with bat and gloves to put a lot of pressure on him.[/quote'] Wow! A post that's more than a lol, an emoticon or a one liner. Thanks Salil. I live in hope. :regular_smile: I don't know how you see Gilly as an unsung hero, Mouni. Of all Test/ODI cricketers, he seems the most revered by other country's fans as a champion and a gentleman of the game. He certainly is in Oz. In that regard, only Sachin comes close except he has many detractors within his own country. Braddin is still really a good batsman who also keeps. His keeping is competent without being outstanding. If Gilly plays out 2008, which is likely (barring injury), the selectors will start looking beyond the Blues' keeper to someone like Luke Ronchi. Being reserve keeper is a bit like being a reserve goalie in soccer - it can be a thankless task. When the main man retires, the long time deputy may then be considered to be past it. Braddin is 30. Gilly had to wait for 3 years after he replaced Healy in the ODI team at age 25, to take the gloves in the Test team. He's been fantastic at #7 in Tests. His 16 centuries (he also has 1 from #3) and 24 fifties often came with Australia in trouble. He also has 15 centuries and 52 fifties in ODIs with a strike rate of 97.

[fineleg]

Adam Gilchrist is absolutely one of my top favorite cricketers. Whatta player!

[Gambit]

One of the three surefire selections in an all time XI squad(other two being DGB and GS). What a fantastic ambassador for the game and an absolute murderer of a bat! I remember how sentimental OZ fans got when Healy was sent into premature retirement and how people thought it was a grave mistake. Boy, were they mistaken! Tapoica, correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty certain no other cricketer in history had a longer winning streak since debut. Gilly had 15 wins in his first 15 tests since debut.

[The Outsider]

*sigh* of relief from teams around the world, but a huge blow for cricket fans. As Gambit said, one of the three certainties in an all time World XI, but more importantly an excellent ambassador of the game who made test cricket all the more exciting and sporting. One of the few cricketers in the world to have actually revolutionized the sport by making it unacceptable for a below par batsman to don wicketkeeping gloves, a trend certain to hold sway till the sport of cricket fades away.

[fineleg]

There was a period of time when I was losing interest in cricket, suffice it to say Gilchrist was one of the main reason the interest was revived. I salute him.

[zubinpepsi]

how many of u agree tht he carried on too long.. its amazing how australians have a go at sachin everytime he fails saying hes playing for the wrong reasons... n none made a point abt gilchrist when haddin has been knocking on the team door by his performance.. gilchrist clearly lost his form since late 2005..

[Donny]

how many of u agree tht he carried on too long.. gilchrist clearly lost his form since late 2005..

Carried on too long ?? You write as if he has already retired. Lost his form since 2005 ? Is this the same man who blew Sri Lanka out of the water in the 2007 ODI World Cup final with a 72 ball century, containing 8 sixes ? Is this the same man who blasted the second fastest Test century ever (by one ball), in the 2006 Ashes series ? Is this the same man who, just 3 matches back, hit 79 n.o. from 77 balls to put India to the sword ? Let's all hope he continues losing form for at least another year.