More than just a wicket-keeper
By Rayed Mamun - 28 January 2008
This week we were given the sad news that, Adam Gilchrist, possibly the greatest number seven batsman of all time, will retire at the end of the upcoming tri-series. He will forever be remembered for his uniqueness, in which he played the game, and the way he re-defined wicketkeeping forever.
We could go back only ten years, when the job of the wicketkeeper was considered a very important one. The men behind the timber only focussed on the gloves, and paid little attention to batting. Rarely did wicketkeepers become captains. There is no doubt that Gilchrist, not only defied these old fashioned beliefs, but it is because of him, and him only, that these once abnormal things, are now the norm.
A wicketkeeper would typically come in after the main batsmen and before the bowlers. His average would be in the twenties, or early thirties if they were lucky. Scoring five centuries in a career would be an incredible achievement. Gilchrist has a total of 32 international centuries. Ever since he burst into scene in the late nineties, teams all over the world have adopted the approach of having a wicketkeeper that can bat. It would be difficult to find a team in this day and age without a wicketkeeper who is also a specialist batsman.
Gilchrist did not stop there. Wicketkeepers weren’t allowed to bat well in the olden days, so it would be truly ridiculous to have them open the batting. Gilchrist, however, was special. In 1997, he was controversially chosen in ahead of Ian Healy for his batting ability. He was given the chance to open in that tri-series and has never looked back. Opening the batting, he would exploit the fielding restrictions in the early overs, always giving Australia a good start to the innings.
Gilchrist has made bowlers all over world work harder to take ten wickets. In test matches, when a team is five wickets down, the bowling team feels comfortable because they feel that the main batsmen are all gone. Gilchrist came in at number seven and frustrated the bowling team. Not only did he stay in for long periods, he also rubbed salt into the wound by scoring quick runs, so much so, that he is considered to be one of the fastest run scorers in test match history.
These exploits were absolutely unheard of before, but now, they are the norm.
He was a true entertainer. His exploits behind the stumps were yet another incredible dimension to his amazing game. He took wicketkeeping itself to a new level, taking unbelievable catches, diving left and right, parallel with the ground.
He is possibly the most honest cricketer, I have ever seen play. There is no questioning his commitment, sportsmanship or integrity when it comes to playing cricket. He is the only player in world cricket who ‘walks’ when he knows he is out. The manner in which ‘walked’ during the huge occasion of the 2003 World Cup Semi Final, exemplified the incredible integrity of this great character.
Adam Gilchrist was not just a cricketer. He changed the game forever. Now, every team, from junior club cricket all the way to international cricket have wicketkeepers who can now bat as well. He was a true entertainer, not only with his bat, but also his acrobatic glovework. Taking spectacular catches, he gave his bowlers the wickets they truly deserved. Most of all, he possessed the most priceless quality, of the purest integrity, which is so rarely found in the game in this day and age. The manner in which this man played the game, and the way in which he conducted himself whilst doing it, is truly one of a kind. Remember Adam Craig Gilchrist, because chances are you will never see a cricketer like him in your lifetime.