Adam Gilchrist, the legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batsman, has rated offspinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh as the bowlers he feared the most during his career.
Gilchrist, who scored 33 international centuries from 1997 to 2008, is credited as someone who transformed the role of a wicketkeeper because of his destructive batting ability. The left-hander was a game-changer batting at No. 7 in Tests and had the flexibility to open in One-Day Internationals.
Speaking at a school coaching clinic in Delhi, the 44-year-old said the Sri Lankan and Indian legendary spinners made him nervous every time he had to face them. "It would be a combination of Murali and Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh)," Gilchrist said on Friday (April 8) when asked who were the toughest bowlers he faced. "I could never read the delivery from Murali's finger movements. He always made me feel like a 10-year-old.
"Whenever I was in doubt, I promptly swept. There was this Test innings where I had gone out with this mindset to sweep. First ball, I swept and the ball went for four. Second ball, I swept again. This time, it went straight up in the sky and I was caught. Next match, again I swept Murali the first ball and was caught plumb in front of the stumps."
Despite his fears, Gilchrist had a good record against Muralitharan, averaging 52 in nine Test innings but was dismissed by him four times. He had further success in ODIs, succumbing to Muralitharan just twice in 32 ODIs.
It is little surprise Gilchrist also included Harbhajan in his admission after falling to him seven times in Test cricket. In 10 Tests against Harbhajan, Gilchrist averaged just 25, well short of his overall average of 47.6.
Famously, Harbhajan dismissed Gilchrist first ball in the midst of his hat-trick in the memorable Second Test in Kolkata in 2001. In the deciding Test in Chennai, Harbhajan continued to torment Gilchrist dismissing him twice cheaply to spearhead India to an unforgettable series victory.
Gilchrist, who scored 33 international centuries from 1997 to 2008, is credited as someone who transformed the role of a wicketkeeper because of his destructive batting ability. The left-hander was a game-changer batting at No. 7 in Tests and had the flexibility to open in One-Day Internationals.
Speaking at a school coaching clinic in Delhi, the 44-year-old said the Sri Lankan and Indian legendary spinners made him nervous every time he had to face them. "It would be a combination of Murali and Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh)," Gilchrist said on Friday (April 8) when asked who were the toughest bowlers he faced. "I could never read the delivery from Murali's finger movements. He always made me feel like a 10-year-old.
"Whenever I was in doubt, I promptly swept. There was this Test innings where I had gone out with this mindset to sweep. First ball, I swept and the ball went for four. Second ball, I swept again. This time, it went straight up in the sky and I was caught. Next match, again I swept Murali the first ball and was caught plumb in front of the stumps."
Despite his fears, Gilchrist had a good record against Muralitharan, averaging 52 in nine Test innings but was dismissed by him four times. He had further success in ODIs, succumbing to Muralitharan just twice in 32 ODIs.
It is little surprise Gilchrist also included Harbhajan in his admission after falling to him seven times in Test cricket. In 10 Tests against Harbhajan, Gilchrist averaged just 25, well short of his overall average of 47.6.
Famously, Harbhajan dismissed Gilchrist first ball in the midst of his hat-trick in the memorable Second Test in Kolkata in 2001. In the deciding Test in Chennai, Harbhajan continued to torment Gilchrist dismissing him twice cheaply to spearhead India to an unforgettable series victory.
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