Adam Gilchrist has been one of the most influential wicketkeeper-batters in cricket, having played the game in Brisbane and across the globe, and he now lists his top three best players to have graced that role. The Australian great, who was known for his flamboyant batting that redefined the role, has picked Rodney Marsh, MS Dhoni, and Kumar Sangakkara as his top three wicketkeeper-batters of all time.
Explaining the choice of the three, speaking to The Times of India in an exclusive interview, Gilchrist said, “Rodney Marsh, he was my idol. That is who I wanted to be. MS Dhoni. I like his coolness. He did it his way, always calm. And then there was Kumar Sangakkara. He was so classy in everything he did, batting high up the order and with his keeping skills.”
Captaining Australia to Historic Series Win in India
The 52-year-old also reflected on his hardest day on the cricket field, which was during the famous Kolkata Test of 2001. India then bounced back after being asked to follow on, with VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid batting all day to deny Australia a victory. Gilchrist admitted, “Kolkata, 2001, when VVS (Laxman) and (Rahul) Dravid batted all day. They just shut us out of the game. When I look back on it, you nearly knew you were part of something even more special.”
Gilchrist stepped in as the captain of the Australian team in place of Ricky Ponting during the Indian tour of 2004-05, allowing his team to accomplish an historic series victory by 2-1. You reflect on the journey and he said, “Captaincy brings different pressures and expectations. Also, an element of excitement that you can have such an impact on the game. There are tough days, there are challenging days and then there are pleasing days. To win in India in 2004-05, that was a fulfilling experience, makes captaincy nice and fun.”
A Legendary Career Defined by Aggression and Success
In a decorated international presence spanning from 1996-2008, Gilchrist played 96 Tests, 287 ODIs, and 13 T20Is. He amassed a formidable 15461 runs across all the three formats, and he was responsible for 905 dismissals (813 catches and 92 stumpings) in his career, standing second in the list of most dismissals in international cricket. An aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, Gilchrist was instrumental in Australia’s success, and he was a major member of the team’s World Cup-winning brigade, which is credited for pulling off two ODI World Cup victories.
Gilchrist’s choices for the top three wicketkeeper-batsmen reflect his preference for “people who have contributed something very special to the game.” Rodney Marsh was his boyhood hero and is said to have shown the path to Australian wicketkeepers from future generations. That left MS Dhoni, with his coolness under pressure, and phenomenal success as both captain and player, to go into Gilchrist’s list. Class with the bat and the gloves, Kumar Sangakkara, together with his ability to open the batting, complete the first three.
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