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Adam's the apple

By Deepti Patwardhan
November 04, 2004 21:48 IST
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Adam Gilchrist

Glenn Gilchrist, Adam Gilchrist's elder brother, accompanied by their father Stan, watched his brother from the air-conditioned press box at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

With his cap on, you could be excused if you mistook Glenn for his Test-playing kid brother. He is a stockier, shorter version of the Australian vice-captain.

Glenn and his father came over only for the last Test because they thought it would be the decider.

The lack of competition in the series has left them disappointed, but they are still happy seeing Adam, who, they say, does marvellous impersonations.

Here's how Adam, the youngest of four siblings -- Jackie, Dean and Glenn -- was forced into wicket-keeping in his childhood.

Adam Gilchrist"Dean was the eldest and would always get the chance to bat first, and I being the second would start the bowling, and we wanted someone just to stop the ball, so Adam was forced to keep wickets," recalls Glenn.

His explanation for Adam's gutsy batting: "Because he's the youngest he would rarely get to bat. And if he got to bat he wouldn't get out because he never knew how long it would be before he got to bat again.

"No, I'm just being silly. Adam always hit the ball hard and my father encouraged him to do so. A lot of coaches, when they see youngsters hit the ball hard, try to curb their style. That never happened with Adam."

The Gilchrist family grew up with cricket.

As dad Stan explains, "I have a daughter and three sons and even she wanted to play Test cricket, if it was for the Australian women's team."

Glenn reveals how, in between school, homework and some tough games in the backyard, the three brothers dreamt of emulating the Chappell brothers.

"Greg Chappell was our hero and we always had dreams of being the next Chappell brothers."

Adam was always the more determined. He was a practical joker, spreading humour to lift the spirit of the family and never let his nerves show. He was "backhanded" by his elder siblings if ever they didn't want him around.

"He always wanted to play Test cricket. His belief in himself has always been there. Not arrogant, but he always had the inner confidence. That's why he is a Test cricketer and I'm not, because I get intimidated by others what they say," says Glenn.

At 16, Adam made the decision to ignore his final year of studies and go to England to play cricket. Though studies were never thrust on either of the children, it was still an important aspect of life.

"I was a schoolteacher and would go around telling young people to study first and play sport later. And here he [Adam] was coming and saying 'I wanted to play cricket in England.' He wanted to play cricket from age five. He never wanted a career, never wanted to go to university. He said this (cricket) was the university. I knew his passion for the game and couldn't stop him.

"Whether his mother was supportive of the decision is a different story altogether," chuckles Stan.

"I think she was supportive too. She came from a non-cricketing family unlike us. She realised this was Adam's dream. All mothers don't like losing their children and she didn't want to lose him to England. Now she understands cricket as well as any of us. She will be watching this match on television."

Stan and his wife were there through the sacrifices Adam made to become the cricketer he is -- one of the best in the world. Whether it was training those extra hours or shifting base from New South Wales to Perth in 1993 so that he could get an opportunity to keep wickets as well.

"He was in the New South Wales team as a batsman. The captain there was the wicket-keeper too, so there was no chance of Adam keeping wickets for them. When he was in the outfield he dropped too many catches! So, it was best he moved to Perth," says Glenn.

Adam with son HarrisonWhen Adam made his debut for Australia, "against Pakistan in Brisbane, we were there," remembers Stan, adding the family realised a much-cherished dream.

"I could hardly breathe. When he hit those five fours in one Mushtaq Ahmed over, I think that settled us down, and it settled him down to international cricket.

"I do get a little tense, maybe when he's batting, but not so much now because I know the way he plays. It could click one day and not the other. But I am more nervous when he's on 95 than when he starts the innings, because the hundred is always there."

Adam had to wait two years for his Test cap. The one-day experience was handy so was Ian Healy's support. Healy and Rodney Marsh were his mentors, and Adam was happy waiting in the wings for Healy to retire.

The player who made his debut at 28 has gone on to become one of the most destructive batsmen in the game's history.

"He never really spoke about it. He had played a lot of one-day cricket. Every opportunity he had he just cherished; that's why he does well. He doesn't take playing for Australia for granted. Any Test could be his last and every one-day match could be his last.

"I don't think he was frustrated in those years (waiting in the wings). Even if he was, he never showed it. He always had a calm exterior. But he is a tall wicket-keeper and had a few problems with his knee. So, who knows, if he had started keeping for Australia early he may have not been here."

Adam is still there, leading Australia on a mission that failed successive teams for 35 years.

His dad and brother are ecstatic that he shouldered the additional responsibility of captaincy, but believe Ricky Ponting is better suited for the role and would have won the series for Australia anyway.

"Ricky is such a good captain and Adam admires him a lot. But we are happy he could take the planning done by a group of people and win the series. It is not as important as Australia winning the series.

 "The opportunity came all of a sudden," says Glenn, adding, "I think Adam expressed some concern, but Melinda, his wife, said don't worry. She has been very strong for him."

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Deepti Patwardhan

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