Adam Gilchrist: MS Dhoni is an amazing captain

Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist refused to be drawn into making a prediction for the upcoming Test series between Australia and India. The Indian team are widely expected to not do well down under, having lost every Test series away from home since July 2011.

Over the last year, the MS Dhoni led side have lost to South Africa (1-0), New Zealand (1-0) and England (3-1) in Test cricket. The last time India toured Australia back in 2011-12, they were whitewashed 4-0 in the Tests and failed to reach the final of the ODI tri-series that followed.

India will improve and Dhoni is an amazing captain

Asked if he foresaw a whitewash for India again, Gilchrist laughed: “I’ll leave that (whitewash predictions) to Glenn McGrath.”

He added that he expects India to improve on their performance in England with batsmen like Virat Kohli having worked on their game after a disastrous showing in England.

“As of now the teams are maintaining home ground advantage at the moment. You can see Australia, India and England – they have not done well abroad. I am sure India and Virat Kohli would have addressed themselves and checked their mistakes, and are ready for the Australian heat.

“I don’t see any reason why the (Indian) batting line-up shouldn’t be successful. I don’t know the wicket will have steep bounce and do something sideways. However, everything depends on the mental set-up of a team,” the former Australian wicket-keeper said.

The 42-year-old who was in Bangalore to announce India’s next Bradman scholarship cricketer also said that he thinks Dhoni is a good captain and has done a wonderful job over the years. Asked if India needed a new captain for Tests after unimpressive performances in the format, Gilchrist said it wasn’t an easy task to lead India.

“I have said it number of times before that I am very impressed with Dhoni right from the moment he arrived into the scene. He is an amazing captain and has won India T20 and ODI World Cups and also India reached the pinnacle by reaching the number one spot in Test cricket,” he said.

Tough to single out a favourite for the World Cup

Gilchrist also said that he thinks the 2015 World Cup is a difficult one to predict with at least three teams having a very good chance of lifting the trophy at the MCG on March 29 next year.

“I think Australia will be one of the favourites in the start of the World Cup tournament. Don’t know there is one favourite. Any number of three or four teams could win the World Cup,” he said.

With the crackdown on chucking across world cricket, Gilchrist was asked if it would have a negative impact on the World Cup as it could be held without the likes of Saeed Ajmal and Sunil Nairne. He said the game would move on without any problems, just like it did when legends like Sir Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar retired.