Adam Gilchrist
Australia
1999-
ROLE
Left Hand Bat, Wicket Keeper
BORN
Sunday, 14th November 1971.
New South Wales, Western Australia, Australia
TEST DEBUT
Friday, 5th November 1999
1st Test v. Pakistan at Brisbane Cricket Ground (Aged: 27)
TEST CAREER
Matches:
87
Runs:
5188
Ave:
48.48
Wkts:
0 Ave: n/a
Catches:
328
Stumpings:
36
Last Test:
2006 2nd Test v. England at Adelaide
The biography of Adam Gilchrist reveals the achievements of a great international cricketer. Gilly or Churchy, as he is fondly called, is one of the most aggressive left-handed batsmen and effective wicketkeepers in test cricket history. To know more about this mercurial Australian cricketer, read this Adam Gilchrist biography.
Early Life
Adam Craig Gilchrist was born on November 14, 1971, in Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia. He did his schooling from Deniliquin Public School and Kadina High School. From an early age, his parents Stan and June Gilchrist always encouraged him to play cricket. During his school days, he actively played cricket and wanted to be a fast bowler. However, he was fascinated by the wicketkeeping gloves and went on to become one of the finest wicketkeepers in international cricket. Gilchrist is married to his school sweetheart Melinda and they have two sons Harrison and Archie, and a daughter Anne Jean.
International Career
Adam Gilchrist replaced an injured Ian Healy as wicketkeeper in the Australian team and played his first One Day International (ODI) in the year 1996 against South Africa in Faridabad, India. In that match, he took his first catch in international cricket when he dismissed Hansie Cronje for a duck. Gilly's position became firm in the home cricket squad because the Australian selectors decided to keep different teams for One-day and Test cricket. In the year 1998, during the New Zealand tour, he achieved his highest average of 50 by any Australian batsman. In the same year, he made his test debut against Pakistan at Gabba in Brisbane. Here, not only did he play an excellent knock, but the hosts also won the Test and One-day series. Adam Gilchrist is the first batsman to have scored 100 sixes in Test cricket. In 1999, he was one of the key players leading to Australia winning the World Cup. In the year 2001 Ashes series, Adam Gilchrist performed excellently, that led to the Australian team winning the series by 4-1.
Career Achievements
Adam Gilchrist is also known an one of the finest all-rounders in the game of cricket. Many describe Gilchrist as the greatest wicketkeeper and One Day player. He is admired for his leadership qualities as well as the spirit in which he played the game. He scored 8585 runs in 257 matches in One Day International cricket, at an average rate of 35.26. Gilly made 172 runs, his highest, in the ODI against Zimbabwe. In his international cricket career, he scored 17 test and 15 ODI centuries. He has also made 50 half-centuries. Gilly has 375 catches and 45 stumpings to his credit as a wicketkeeper.
Gilchrist is the only wicketkeeper to have captained the Australian team for One Day and Test matches to-date, and has also led his side to many victories. He has an excellent strike rate, both in One Day as well as Test cricket. He made the second fastest century in the Australia vs England test match played in Perth in 2006.
Adam Gilchrist was named one of the the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2002. He was also declared Australia's ODI Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, Gilly was awarded with the Allan Border Medal for excellent performances in Test and One-day cricket. In 2004, Gilchrist was named in the Richie Benaud's Greatest XI. He was also voted as the 9th Greatest All Rounder of the Century in the year 2007.
Retirement from International Cricket
Adam Gilchrist retired from International cricket in March 2008, after breaking the world record for the highest dismissals by a wicketkeeper. Presently, Gilly is leading Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition being played in India, as Team Captain. In 2009, after taking over the captaincy of Deccan Chargers from VVS Laxman, he led the team to win the IPL trophy in South Africa.
Gilchrist believes in charity, and he is the ambassador of World Vision in India. Through this charity, he sponsors a young, fatherless boy, named Mangesh, living in an urban slum in Chennai, India. In the present season of the Indian Premiere League (IPL), Adam Gilchrist aims to hit 25 sixes, so 25 physically challenged children will receive modified push bikes through the Amway's Freedom Wheels program.
Adam Gilchrist is one of the well-admired cricketers of his generation. After reading the Adam Gilchrist biography, cricket fans will agree that the manner and the spirit in which he played the game of cricket was brilliant!
