Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan claim Quinton de Kock is the closest keeper-batsman to Adam Gilchrist

South Africans are currently playing the Australia cricket team at WACA in Perth and are looking as the hot favorites to win the first of the three-match Test series. While the Proteas' team witnessed two centurions in their second innings, it was Quinton de Kock who played a matured knock in both the innings.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, after his performance, received heaps of praise from former Ashes-winning skippers, Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan. The former players seemed to be pretty impressed with the left-hander's batting and declared him the closest wicketkeeper-batsman to the legendary Adam Gilchrist.

"He's probably the closest keeper-batsman to Adam Gilchrist that we've seen since he retired," Ponting was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia website. Vaughan, who didn't wish to compare de Kock with Gilchrist, agreed with Ponting's views.

"He plays off the front foot, he's strong off the back foot, but it's the rate that he scores at that's the most impressive. Just the way he's able to come in and really dictate to the bowlers the way he wants to play," Ponting said. The former Aussie skipper went on to claim that de Kock was the best number 7 batsman for the Proteas at the moment.

Vaughan too put forward a similar opinion. The former England skipper claimed that though the 23-year old South African put up a great show, it would be unfair to compare him with Gilchrist. Cricket Australia website quoted him as saying, "It's a big shout because there's been some outstanding wicketkeeper-batsmen and Adam Gilchrist led the way."

"But I think he's the closest to Adam Gilchrist, I really do," he said.

Vaughan went on to say that the South African's sound technique and his willingness to start attacking right from the word go makes him even more dangerous. "The way he plays, the way he naturally comes out and attacks the opposing bowler and puts him under pressure. It's very, very similar to Gilchrist," he said.

The Aussies ended day 4 at 169 runs for the loss of four wickets, needing another 370 runs to claim victory. The South African team which looked shaky with the bat in first innings came back stronger the second time around to post 540 runs with centuries from Dean Elgar and JP Duminy before the trio of de Kock, Vernon Philander and Keshav Maharaj provided some late blows with the bat.