Player Battles: Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs Adam Gilchrist (Tests)

Staying on the toes for the entire length of an innings with no deviation in attention, batting with venom and might – the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman was never a walk in the park in Test cricket. MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist, two of the greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen in cricket history, did it for 90 and 96 Test matches respectively.

Both of them were head and shoulders above their counterparts and also were respected by the cricketing fraternity. It will be harsh to draw comparisons between the two servants of cricket, but let’s throw light on the differences in statistics and other facets as a tribute to Dhoni and Gilchrist.

Runs scored outside home

Home is where a cricketer fancies to make hay and hardly looks out of sorts, but the challenge lies elsewhere. Playing in overseas tracks may not be a smooth drive and hurdles throw themselves up every now and then.

MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist served their respective teams pretty diligently over the years. While the Indian doesn’t have too many centuries to show off, he has been instrumental with the bat on several occasions. In Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh, the average speaks for itself and as a player, Dhoni can’t be disregarded.

Gilchrist, on the other hand, has the numbers to boast off and with ten centuries to his credit, he is rated among the greatest patrolling the lower order. Barring in India and the United Arab Emirates, the average never dropped down for the swashbuckling batsman from New South Wales.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni						Adam Gilchrist
Countries	Matches	Runs	Highest	Average	Centuries	Countries	Matches	Runs	Highest	Average	Centuries
Australia	9	311	57*	19.43	0	Bangladesh	2	156	144	78.00	1
Bangladesh	3	193	89	96.50	0	England	10	521	152	40.07	1
England	12	778	92	37.04	0	India	7	342	122	28.50	2
New Zealand	4	272	68	54.40	0	New Zealand	6	487	162	81.16	2
Pakistan	3	179	148	59.66	1	South Africa	6	523	204*	65.37	2
South Africa	7	370	90	28.46	0	Sri Lanka	4	272	144	45.33	1
Sri Lanka	3	128	76	32.00	0	West Indies	4	282	101*	70.50	1
West Indies	7	265	74	22.08	0	UAE	2	51	34	25.50	0

Runs scored in team wins

Piling on runs is one thing, but racking them up in winning contributions is no bleak achievement and needs attention. Both keeper-batsmen has been stalwarts playing down the order and has been the thorn in the flesh of oppositions.

Dhoni may not have a staggering overall average, but when it comes to taking the onus, he isn’t far behind the greats. Out of his six tons, four have come against daunting bowling attacks. Apart from England, Dhoni’s contribution can’t be dismissed out of sight. The double-century against the Kangaroos is still rated among the most audacious Test knocks by any keeper batsman.

Dhoni scored 6 centuries in his Test career

Gilchrist’s influence in wins has been humungous as his minimum average against any opposition is 42.92, which displays his panache as a batsman. To be specific, he has notched up at least a ton in wins against every Test playing nation and there is a reason why he is deemed to be a legend.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni						Adam Gilchrist
Opposition	Matches	Runs	Highest	Average	Centuries	Opposition	Matches	Runs	Highest	Average	Centuries
Australia	9	700	224	58.23	1	Bangladesh	4	199	144	66.33	1
Bangladesh	2	140	89	140	0	England	14	749	152	49.33	2
England	5	99	53	16.50	0	India	9	558	122	42.92	2
New Zealand	4	328	98	82.00	0	New Zealand	7	501	126	71.57	2
Pakistan	1	57	57	57	0	Pakistan	9	616	149*	68.44	2
South Africa	4	243	132*	48.30	1	South Africa	10	597	204*	49.75	2
Sri Lanka	5	238	100*	47.60	1	Sri Lanka	6	348	144	49.71	1
West Indies	6	228	144	28.50	1	West Indies	11	536	101*	53.60	1
						Zimbabwe	2	133	113*	133	1

Modes of dismissal while batting

Taking the aggressive road had been the way forward for the duo and their dismissals were also a result of their style of play. They hardly shied away from going for the extravagant shot and the statistics throw light on the way they got out.

Gilchrist has the most Test centuries by a wicket-keeper (17)

Dhoni is predominantly a bottom handed player and likes to shuffle around the crease to nudge the ball into the gaps. On twelve occasions, he was caught dead in front of the stumps. He also didn’t mind taking the aerial route to rattle the bowler’s rhythm and it shows in the number of times he was held out to the fielders.

Though Gilly never altered his stance, but like Dhoni, always relished in taking the bowlers to the cleaners. Brought up on fast and bouncy tracks, the Australian thrived on playing the cut and pull and hardly pulled out from playing the ball on the rise.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni		Adam Gilchrist
Caught	94	Caught	84
Bowled	15	Bowled	16
LBW	12	LBW	12
Run Out	4	Run Out	1
Stumped	3	Stumped	4

Pace vs Spin

To be counted among the best, one has to be efficient from every aspect and it won’t take any cricketing background into consideration. Greatness doesn’t seek excuses and hence standing up tall against challenges is imperative.

The Indian has plied his trades on slow and low wickets and his average and number of dismissals to spin is a palpable proof of the same. Apart from smothering spin bowling, Dhoni also played a few useful knocks against hostile pacers in seam friendly conditions.

On the contrary, Gilchrist tormented both against pace and spin and never believed in going into a shell. The fact that he belonged to the same era as Shane Warne, helped him leaps and bounds to counter quality spin bowling.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni		Adam Gilchrist
Pace		Pace
Dismissals	Average	Dismissals	Average
88	27.81	64	35.73
Spin		Spin
34	37.47	49	34.53

Catches/Stumpings

Keeping wickets demands tremendous concentration and fitness standards and both Dhoni and Gilchrist have mantled the responsibility quite competently. Both played close to 100 Test matches and there have been few phases when they couldn’t live up to expectations.

Dhoni is known for his quick reflexes behind the stumps

MS Dhoni wasn’t the swiftest behind the wickets, but he always made for it with quick reflexes and fast hands. He didn’t possess the conventional keeping techniques, but he didn’t allow it to be a detriment in his role behind the wickets.

Adam Gilchrist was agile and athletic behind the wickets and hardly made any slip-ups. With 416 dismissals, Gilly stands in second spot in the list of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in Test cricket.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni		Adam Gilchrist
Catches	Stumpings	Catches	Stumpings
256	38	379	37