That's a myth. No team has a wicketkeeper-batsman even close to Adam Gilchrist in all-round ability, and he'll be impossible to replace. You have to have your best wicketkeeper in the team, as it's a crucial position that gets your team a huge chunk of the 20 wickets to win the match. They can manage just well with Haddin, as long as he does his job well behind the stumps. Let Watson or another newcomer do the all-round role now.These days you need a wicket keeper batsman.
Indeed. There is only one man fit to wear the title of "National Team". Step forward Luca...He's not good enough to be the Australia Team, we'd probably struggle to get 10 wickets.
But he's good enough to be in the Australian team.
No chance.With any luck it won't take too long for everyone to realise that expecting a Gilchrist per team is a completely and totally unrealistic expectation.
Yeah, let's get rid of him and get Ronchi in there ASAP.I haven`t seen bat very well and needs to start scoring runs. These days you need a wicket keeper batsman.
I think you've summed it up in one sentence.Odd comment with him averaging 37 in test cricket.
It has me confused as well.I'd just like to point-out (again) that Haddin has actually performed quite a bit better (yes, with the bat) in his few Tests so far than Gilchrist did for most of his last 4 years in Test cricket.
How on Earth someone can make a modestly excellent start to their Test career and have people calling for their head is beyond me.
Couldn't agree more.Given he's only played a few Tests, all of them away from home and having come in with the bat a couple of times in really testing situations, I think he's been perfectly fine. He's looked a bit "hacky" for lack of a better word at times but he's got the job done really.
Dont think he really redefined the role tbh. He was one of the keepers in an era dominated by quality batsman- wicket keepers such as Stewart, Flower,himself and Sangakkara. The issue about selecting a wicket keeper who can hold his own with the bat dates well before Gilchrist and has been a cause for concern for many sides in the past.He's so utterly redefined the expected role of the wicketkeeper to the point where most cricket fans, not just Australians, have completely unrealistic expectations of what their wicketkeepers should be able to accomplish.