How good was Gilchrist?

[Red]

It should always remember that he kept to Warne and MacGill. Probably the most difficult task a keeper has had since covered pitches. And he did it very very well.

To the quicks he was athletic and moved really well.

He was a gun keeper. His keeping is underrated because of his batting I think.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Nayan Mongia might have something to say about that. Keeping to Kumble and co. on the doctored Indian pitches of the 90s must have been no mean feat. Many were the times we saw him standing up and collecting deliveries rising to greet his face.

 

[BoyBrumby]

He was a gun keeper. His keeping is underrated because of his batting I think.

Yeah, that's it in a nutshell.

It does seem outrageously unfair that he was so lavishly gifted but he was a proper keeper as well as being an amazing counterpunching bat too.

Someone on here once said Haddin was closer to Gilly as a batsman than as a keeper and remember thinking, yup, spot on, I'll steal that line. And now I have.

 

[Burgey]

Nayan Mongia > keeper than Adam Gilchrist was not the content I expected to find when logging on today

 

[Migara]

He was a good keeper.
****ing unbelievable batsman. He and Shewag were the only ones that could replicate Viv's modus operandi, and became succesful.

 

[Migara]

Not as good as Jayawardene.

/Migara

Keeping definitely PJ was best in the business in his era of keeping. There is not even a question. SC FC ciecuit had much better keepers than ones who appeared in test matches, but their poor peformances with bat kept them away. We kept fielding Kaluwitharana for ages when he was missing stumpings right left and center, because of his batting.

 

[Migara]

Keeping to disciplined fast / spin bowlers is always easy than to wild ones. West Indian and Pakistani keepers tend to get under appreciated for their efforts. In addition Pakistani ones deal with mystery spinners too. (No, no, not Akmal).

 

[TheJediBrah]

We kept fielding Kaluwitharana for ages when he was missing stumpings right left and center, because of his batting.

The alternatives must have been truly dire batsmen if Kaluwitharana was playing Tests because of his batting

 

[Red]

Nayan Mongia might have something to say about that. Keeping to Kumble and co. on the doctored Indian pitches of the 90s must have been no mean feat. Many were the times we saw him standing up and collecting deliveries rising to greet his face.

Fair bit easier to keep to toppies who pitch on off/middle than big turning leggies who pitch outside leg and spin it across the batsman. You lose sight of the ball completely with the latter.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Both are different challenges. Keeping up in the subcontinent with spin from both ends all day would be hella draining. At least Gilchrist would have had a break with a quick from the other end. But yes I can't even imagine how ****ed it would be keeping to Warne bowling into the rough on day 4 or 5, far beyond anything I've ever experienced.

 

[Migara]

The alternatives must have been truly dire batsmen if Kaluwitharana was playing Tests because of his batting

Exactly. Kaluwitharana was dire most of the time. Once ina while put up his hand and played a winning knock. Tillekaratne should have never been allowed to give up gloves in 92-93 season.

 

[Migara]

Fair bit easier to keep to toppies who pitch on off/middle than big turning leggies who pitch outside leg and spin it across the batsman. You lose sight of the ball completely with the latter.

The general consensus is that topspinners are difficult to keep, because they dip, gain pace, bounce and don't change the course in relation to line of vision. Hence it gives milliseconds of less time for a keeper to collect it than a big spinning delivery.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Gilchrist was a good keeper and it gets forgotten how good he actually was as people go on about his batting all the time. When a great keeper like Healy retires it says a lot about the guy replacing him that you hardly noticed and in fact because of the batting he was replaced with a better all round package. Wasn't as good a keeper obviously but it wasn't like replacing Russell with Stewart like we did even though Stewart was a solid keeper in the end.

 

[Red]

The general consensus is that topspinners are difficult to keep, because they dip, gain pace, bounce and don't change the course in relation to line of vision. Hence it gives milliseconds of less time for a keeper to collect it than a big spinning delivery.

Nah I reckon the general consensus is it’s easier to catch a ball you can see thru its whole trajectory than it is to catch one you lose sight of behind a batsman milliseconds before you have to judge where it’ll reappear and how much it might’ve turned and if it’s deflected off batsman or bat

 

[mr_mister]

From my keeping experience at indoor cricket, quicker spin is harder to deal with than side spin

 

[Senile Sentry]

Nayan Mongia might have something to say about that. Keeping to Kumble and co. on the doctored Indian pitches of the 90s must have been no mean feat. Many were the times we saw him standing up and collecting deliveries rising to greet his face.

Or Kiran More.

Mongia keeping to Kumble 100 -110 kph deliveries and bouncing crazy off the pitches was a delight to watch.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Gilly was exceptionally athletic vs pace bowlers , took some rippers. And I don't recollect him dropping many off sounners as well. Would be up with the best keepers of all time

 

[Senile Sentry]

He was a good keeper.
****ing unbelievable batsman. He and Shewag were the only ones that could replicate Viv's modus operandi, and became succesful.

A certain Joysooriya as well.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Gilly was exceptionally athletic vs pace bowlers , took some rippers. And I don't recollect him dropping many off sounners as well. Would be up with the best keepers of all time

This is what I remember most about him. I reckon he would have taken some huge diving catches that even some of the best keepers in history wouldn't have even got close to, with his wingspan.

 

[_00_deathscar]

He was just a Pant-lite.