By IANS
Adelaide : Long-serving Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist Saturday announced his retirement from international cricket, a decision that took everyone by surprise as he will be calling it a day four short of playing hundred Tests.
The 36-year-old stumper from New South Wales, who holds the world record of 414 dismissals (377 catches and 37 stumpings), will retire from Test cricket after the ongoing fourth and final match against India here and from One-Day Internationals (ODI) after the upcoming triangular series, also involving India and Sri Lanka, ends in March. He will not play for Western Australia or for his club in Perth either.
“I’ve come to this decision after much thought and discussion with those most important to me,” Gilchrist said, just 24 hours after breaking South African Mark Boucher’s world record for most dismissals.
“My family and I have been fortunate to have had an amazing journey full of rich experiences throughout my career,” said the well-mannered left-handed batsman on the third day of the match at the Adelaide Oval.
Gilchrist, one of the hardest hitters of the ball in the game at present, has so far amassed 5,556 runs at an average of 47.89 with 17 centuries and 26 half-centuries. He is yet to bat in the first innings here.
In 277 ODIs, he has tallied 9,297 runs at 36.03 with 15 centuries and 53 half-centuries.
“I am now ready and excited to move into the next phase of my life, which will include much more time with Mel, Harrison, Annie and Archie,” Gilchrist, the well-known family man, said referring to his wife and three children.
Unlike his many present and former teammates, Gilchrist has always tried to play the game without unnecessarily needling the opposing players. He endeared himself to rivals by often himself deciding to ‘walk’ if he knew he was out or felt the umpire had failed to see or hear the snick from his bat.
Gilchrist was part of the Australia’s World Cup-winning teams of 1999, 2003 and 2007. He hammered a fabulous 149 in the 2007 World Cup final in the West Indies to help his team beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs through the Duckworth and Lewis method and complete a hat-trick of championships.
Gilchrist, who had replaced Ian Healy in the national team, made his ODI debut against South Africa in Faridabad, India, Oct 25, 1996, and played his first Test against Pakistan in Brisbane in November 1999. Since then he has been a regular member of the Test, ODI and Twenty20 sides.