Adam Gilchrist facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Adam Gilchrist

Gilchrist in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Adam Craig Gilchrist
Born	(1971-11-14) 14 November 1971 (age 53) Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname	Gilly, Churchy
Height	186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Batting	Left-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper-batter
International information
National side	Australia (1996–2008)
Test debut (cap 381)	5 November 1999 v Pakistan
Last Test	24 January 2008 v India
ODI debut (cap 129)	25 October 1996 v South Africa
Last ODI	4 March 2008 v India
ODI shirt no.	12, 18
T20I debut (cap 2)	17 February 2005 v New Zealand
Last T20I	1 February 2008 v India
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1992/93–1993/94	New South Wales
1994/95–2007/08	Western Australia
2008–2010	Deccan Chargers
2010	Middlesex
2011–2013	Kings XI Punjab
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 96 287 190 356 Runs scored 5,570 9,619 10,334 11,326 Batting average 47.60 35.89 44.16 34.95 100s/50s 17/26 16/55 30/43 18/63 Top score 204* 172 204* 172 Catches/stumpings 379/37 417/55 756/55 526/65
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Australia ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 1999 England-Wales -Ireland-Scotland-Netherlands Winner 2003 South Africa-Zimbabwe-Namibia Winner 2007 West Indies
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 4 December 2013

Adam Craig Gilchrist (born 14 November 1971) is a famous Australian cricket player. He was known for his exciting left-handed batting and amazing wicket-keeping. Many people think he is one of the best wicket-keeper-batsmen ever.

Gilchrist helped Australia win three World Cup titles in a row: in 1999, 2003, and 2007. He also won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. He holds records for hitting many sixes in Test cricket. His quick centuries were some of the fastest in history.

He was also known for "walking" off the field if he thought he was out, even before the umpire made a decision. He started playing first-class cricket in 1992 and made his international debut in 1996. He played in 96 Test matches and over 270 One-day Internationals for Australia. He was often the vice-captain and led the team when the main captains were not available. Gilchrist retired from international cricket in 2008.

Early Life and Family

Adam Gilchrist was born in 1971 in Bellingen, Australia. He was the youngest of four children. His family moved around a lot when he was growing up.

When he was 13, his family moved to Lismore. There, he was the captain of his high school cricket team. He was chosen for the state's under-17 team. In 1989, he got a scholarship to play for a cricket club in London.

Gilchrist is married to Melinda Sharpe, his high school sweetheart. They have three sons and one daughter.

Playing for Teams

Australian Youth Teams

In 1991, Gilchrist played for the Australia Young Cricketers team. They toured England and he scored a century in one of the youth Test matches. Later that year, he joined the Australian Cricket Academy.

Playing for States

Gilchrist started his professional career playing for New South Wales in 1992. He played as a batsman because another player was already the wicket-keeper. His team won the Sheffield Shield in his first season.

He moved to Western Australia in 1994 to get more chances to play as a wicket-keeper. He quickly became their main wicket-keeper. In his second season, he scored 189 runs in a final match, which made him famous across Australia. He continued to play well for Western Australia, winning more titles.

Indian Premier League

Gilchrist played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for six seasons. He played for Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab. He was bought for a lot of money in the first IPL auction in 2008.

He was also the captain for both teams. In 2012, he became the player-coach for Kings XI Punjab. He retired from the IPL in 2013. In his last match, he even took a wicket with the only ball he ever bowled in a T20 game! He scored over 2,000 runs in the IPL, including two centuries.

Playing for Middlesex

In 2010, Gilchrist played Twenty20 cricket for Middlesex County Cricket Club in England. He was the temporary captain of their T20 team. He scored a century against Kent during his time there.

International Career

Early One-Day Matches

Celebrating a century against the World XI in 2005.

Gilchrist joined the Australian One Day International (ODI) team in 1996. He made his debut against South Africa. At first, he struggled to get a regular spot.

However, he soon became an opening batsman. In 1998, he scored his first ODI century against South Africa. This helped him secure his place at the top of the batting order. He also won a silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games with the Australian team.

First World Cup Win (1999)

Gilchrist played in every match of Australia's successful 1999 Cricket World Cup campaign. He had some tough games at the start. But his quick 63 runs against Bangladesh helped Australia reach the next stage.

In the semi-final against South Africa, the scores were tied. Gilchrist famously ran out a South African player, which meant Australia went to the final. In the final, his 54 runs helped Australia win their first World Cup since 1987.

Test Match Debut

Gilchrist made his Test match debut in November 1999 against Pakistan. He replaced the previous wicket-keeper, Ian Healy. In his first Test, he took five catches and scored a fast 81 runs. Australia won easily.

In his second Test, he scored an amazing 149 runs not out. This helped Australia win a match that seemed impossible. He continued to play very well in his first Test season.

Big Achievements

Gilchrist was known for scoring runs very quickly. In 2002, he broke the record for the fastest double century in Test matches. He scored 204 runs not out from just 212 balls against South Africa. This record was later broken by another player.

He was also a great captain when the main captains were not playing. He led Australia to a historic Test series win in India in 2004. This was the first time Australia had won a Test series there since 1969.

World Cup Wins (2003 & 2007)

Gilchrist was a key player in Australia's 2003 Cricket World Cup win. He scored 408 runs in the tournament. In the semi-final, he was given "not out" by the umpire, but he chose to "walk" off the field because he felt he was out. This was seen as a very sporting gesture. In the final, he scored 57 runs, helping Australia win the World Cup again.

Gilchrist with Australia in 2006

In the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Gilchrist continued his great form. He scored 149 runs off just 104 balls in the final against Sri Lanka. This was the highest score ever in a World Cup final. Australia won their third World Cup in a row, and Gilchrist was named the best player of the match.

Playing Style

Gilchrist standing up to Shane Warne in 2005. Andrew Strauss is the batsman.

Gilchrist's batting style was very aggressive. He would hit the ball hard and score runs quickly. He often opened the batting in one-day matches, setting a fast pace for the team. His Test batting average was very high for a wicket-keeper. He was also known for hitting many sixes.

As a wicket-keeper, he was excellent at catching balls behind the stumps. He worked well with fast bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee. He holds records for the most catches by a wicket-keeper in ODI matches.

Walking and Fair Play

Gilchrist was famous for "walking" when he knew he was out, even if the umpire didn't give him out. This is rare in professional cricket. He believed in playing fairly. He said that he felt "isolated" for this stance within his team, but he stuck to his principles.

He was sometimes fined for showing his emotions on the field. However, his commitment to fair play was a big part of his reputation.

Retirement

On 26 January 2008, Gilchrist announced he would retire from international cricket. He said he felt he had lost his "competitive edge" after dropping a catch. His last Test match was against India.

Many people, including the Australian Prime Minister, asked him to reconsider. But Gilchrist stuck to his decision. He played his last ODI series before retiring. In his final match in Perth, he scored 118 runs and was named Man of the Match.

Achievements and Awards

Gilchrist received many awards for his cricket career.

• He was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2002.
• He won the Allan Border Medal in 2003, which is a top award for Australian cricketers.
• He was chosen for the ICC World XI team.
• In 2010, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to cricket and the community.
• He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2012.
• In 2013, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Test Match Stats

A graph showing Gilchrist's Test match batting career. The red bars show runs scored in each innings, and the blue line shows his average over the last ten innings.

ODI Highlights

A graph showing Gilchrist's ODI batting career. The red bars show runs scored in each innings, and the blue line shows his average over the last ten innings.

Best Performances

After Cricket

Adam Gilchrist speaking at a ceremony in Canberra in 2013.

After retiring, Gilchrist became a cricket commentator for TV. He also works as an ambassador for World Vision, a charity that helps children in need. He is very popular in India because of his cricket fame.

From 2008 to 2014, Gilchrist was the head of the National Australia Day Council. He also has business roles and has appeared on a comedy TV show.

Images for kids

• 

  December 2005. Gilchrist batting against Makhaya Ntini.

See Also

In Spanish: Adam Gilchrist para niños