Adam Gilchrist retires from cricket.

This was a shocker. Ganguly yes, Laxman yes, Dravid maybe. But Gilchrist ? Wow !!

The man has not had a good series but even that is relative. Compare that to other keepers playing the last month and Gilchrist comes out tops.

A news report in the TOI speculates that dropping Laxman in the first innings of the Adelaide test did it for him. I think thats humbug.

Gilchrist has been one of the best players in the past decade and the inventor of the “wicketkeeper-batsman” genre. He already has a follower in Dhoni who has miles to go before he can be what Gilchrist is.

To me personally, the most endearing aspect of Gilchrist is in fair sportsmanship. Keep in mind that he is part of the Australian team that is known to be one of the most unsportsmanlike in recent history.

His “walking” when he knew he had nicked the ball has been something that has brought him at loggerheads with the main Australian team stance. But that did not make him change his personal standards.

For that, he will always be a greater sportsman than his contemporaries like Ponting et al.

Gilchrist, you will be missed.

P.S. On a side note….this is a slap in the face of some of our own Indian cricketers. Ganguly, if you are reading this, its still not too late.