From the inception of Cricket, the role of wicket keeper was very clear – bat down the order to help the team to just add winning runs on the scoreboard When work was almost done by the top and middle order.
In the last three decades, world cricket has witnessed some of the smartest cricketing brains behind the stumps in the form Jeff Dujon, Ian Healy and Allan knot with some awe-inspiring stumping behind the wickets – they were quick with their reflexes speed.
There were wicket keepers who were good with batting abilities for their teams. But a blend of aggressive batting and genuine quality of wicket keeping were missing in both formats of cricket. Australian always been blessed to have great cricketing brains from the top order to one of the best fast bowlers in every decade.
Well, why only with batting and bowling they have been fortunate with the smartest cricketing brain too like Don Tallon, Rodney Marsh and Ian Healy. The era of the 90s completely belonged to Ian Healy as the smartest wicket keeper of that era.
For the one decade, Ian Healy had served Australia, another player of this calibre – there was always the debates over him between fans and experts. Who will be next Ian Healy?
A player from Western Australia who was the hard stroke maker of the ball. Right through the start of his career he was quite different from former wicket keepers – tall and aggressive nature of cricketer. After the Ian Healy, in the 2000s Gilchrist formed the most destructive opening batting pair with Mathew Hayden and termed as the most dangerous battling pairs of that era.
Not just with batting, he was exceptionally talented behind the stumps too where he stunned the world cricket with unbelievable catching abilities. When Australia team have the most destructive batting line up – Gilchrist batted at the lower order at No. 7 and scored some quick half-centuries to change the picture of match In just a few overs.
Batting Genius – A Rare Talent:
In the era of batting, the art of batting was difficult to learn with proper back lift, accurate head position and crazy technical changes.
The back to basic style mind-set ended with some of few really unforgettable hits. Iconic 204* is a personal favourite I cannot forget but this was definitely not only one knock.
The destructive left-handed batsman sparkled at World Cups while scoring 149(104) in the 2007 world cup quite exactly scarph the championship from Sri Lanka without a doubt it has got to be termed as one of the world’s greatest hits.
One more knocks of 149 while face off against Pakistan in a test, when all seemed lost, came to epitomize the tenacity of the man. Possibly, although the blow he will be best reminisced for was a century against England in a famous Ashes series.
The knock was hit in a just 57 balls just missed out Viv Richards feat by one ball. What could be any bowling unit of a team do against such a destructive display of batting?
While in his entire cricket career, he managed to keep score at a destructive strike-rate while scoring 81(100) in Test matches which is an incredible deed. Not saying much about Gilchrist’s instincts with bat in hand, he was equally talented behind the stumps too.
Throughout his Test career, he took 379 catch with 37 stumps but on the other side the One Day stat is equally notable while securing 417 catch and 55 stumps.
The Rambler – A Stubborn Opinion:
This is one side of destructive left-handed batsman game which left reporters, media, team buddies and opponent shell shocked. In any case player should ‘move out of the field’ without any signal by the ground field umpire?
Arguably one of the everlasting discussions of cricket. Those who consider basically in the chivalrous spirit of the game claim that moving out of ground when you feel you are out is archetypal conduct. While, in the game of cricket player should take every chance given to you in a game when bowlers are either trying to dismantle you with variations of spin like Googly, Dosra or with the surprise beamer from the pacer.
The player should certainly not walk unless there is a signal from the on-field umpire by raising up his finger. The stylish left-handed was most surely in the first and became recognized as a stubborn opinion. The most famed case of this was while face off against Sri Lanka in the 2003 World Cup when Adam Gilchrist moved out of the ground before the signal of umpire.
The match against Bangladesh tigers where he walked despite restates indicating he was absolutely not out. This resulted in a lot of disapproval from his team mates and the world cricket.
Despite the disapproval, this batsman continued to display the values that demarcated him as a cricketer and a bloke. In a cricketing world when winning is the last thing matters at the end of the match, having honesty in scoops is admirable and stimulating.
