Gilly and the challenges ahead

When one mentions the name of Adam Gilchrist, there are two images that come to the mind. One of a left handed batsman, who smashed the daylights out of the bowlers and the other of an athletic wicketkeeper, who took nearly all the chances the bowlers managed to create. With 472 dismissals in ODIs, which is a world record, and 416 dismissals in tests, he is regarded as one of best gloves-man in cricket. His exploits in front of the stumps too were exemplary as he redefined the role of a wicketkeeper batsman. While in tests he made 5570 runs at 47.6 runs per innings with the help of 17 hundreds, in ODIs he made 9619 runs at an average of 35.89.

He was also an integral member of one of the most dominant test sides in the world and was Australia’s vice captain for many years. In ODIs he is one of just three cricketers to win three World Cup winning medals. Even success in IPL didn’t remain untouched. After getting the wooden spoon in the inaugural IPL, Deccan Chargers under the leadership of Gilchrist turned the table dramatically to win the IPL in its second edition in South Africa.

Despite having done it all, Gilchrist, four years after his retirement, is at the IPL again, competing against much younger crop of players. This time, in a dual role of captain and coach for Kings XI Punjab.

But the challenge now will be a few notches higher. With no regular cricket, maintaining a high level of fitness will take some doing for the former Aussie cricketer. Being the skipper and the biggest source of inspiration for the team, his getting into the groove early in the season will be vital. From the team’s point of view, KXIP, without many Indian superstars, are one of the less fancied teams in the fray. Not only Gilly will have to be at his best, he will also have the task of drawing the best out of the squad.

But the man himself remains unperturbed. He is willing to go through the grind and prepare the youngsters along with bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Mike Young. In his recent interviews, he said he believes the squad at his disposal is a very balanced one and has it in them to go all the way.

Known for his ability to score at a brisk pace, his performance in the tournament will be closely monitored. At forty, he is one of the oldest statesman in IPL 5 but as the likes of Shane Warne and Mathew Hayden have proved, it is not necessarily a deterrent. In the first game of the season against Rajasthan Royals, Gilchrist scored just 27 before being dismissed but during the short cameo, he gave enough evidence of how effective he still is. Now the challenge for him will be to build on the quick starts and turn them into substantial knocks.

His leadership qualities and man management skills will also be under scrutiny when he leads the Punjab side. Apart from a few established players in Shaun Marsh, David Hussey and Ryan Harris, the rest of the squad is largely untested. He will have to keep the motivation level of the youngsters up and make sure that he takes the most out of the likes of Abhishek Nayar, Paul Valthaty and Piyush Chawla.

With age catching up, it is unlikely that the maverick Aussie would be around for the next auction. Having retired from other forms of game, this IPL might prove to be his swansong and be the last occasion when he will be in action on the field. In such a case, not only the man himself but also the crowd would want to see Gilly finish on a blazing note.