Australia's greatest ODI XI of all time

#2 Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist

If one has watched Adam Gilchrist’s incredible innings of 149 against Sri Lanka in the 2007 World Cup final, one would not even think twice before selecting him any all-time team for one-dayers. Gilchrist could murder any bowling attack on his day and remains one of the most explosive batsmen the game has seen.

Gilchrist was primarily a back foot player, but could be devastating off his front foot too. His cuts and pulls were of the highest quality, and so were his cover drives and on drives. It was literally impossible to stop him scoring runs as long as he was on the wicket.

Gilchrist was a very good wicket-keeper too and kept very creditably against the bowling of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee. He used to play as an opener in one-dayers because of his whirlwind batting. He also made 1 century and 2 half-centuries in the 3 World Cup finals he played in.

Gilchrist was a member of 3 World Cup winning squads. He also made 9922 runs in 287 ODIs at an average of 35.9 and effected 472 dismissals. There has not been a better wicketkeeper-batsman than him in the game’s history.