Steve Waugh chooses Gilchrist over Ponting, McGrath and Warne as the pick of the bunch
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Steve Waugh picked compatriot Adam Gilchrist as the one who had the biggest impact on the game, saying the New South Welshman redefined the role of the modern day wicketkeeper-batsman. Gilchrist scored over 15,000 international runs and had a hand in over 900 dismissals across formats.
Waugh led a hugely talented Australian cricket to the top of the global game, a line-up that included greats like Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
"I always believed it took 11 players to win a Test match and we obviously had superstars in our line-up, but if we didn’t have guys taking catches off those great bowlers or batsmen scoring runs, those great players wouldn’t have been able to fulfill their potential as well," Waugh said in a fan chat on his official Facebook page.
"All three had a great impact not only on our side but on Test cricket as well. If I had to pick one player, who changed the game more than any other, then probably Adam Gilchrist. He redefined the ‘keeper’s role and now you have to be top class batsmen to be in the side as a ‘keeper as well.
"When you change the game that much, it means something special and he probably won more Test matches than any player I played with.
"Batting at seven he would alter the state of the match or the tempo and a lot of people forget how good of a ‘keeper he was.
"He was that good you forgot he was behind the stumps, which is the sign of a good ‘keeper. "He had everything you’d want as a captain plus he was a valuable team member, he had a lot of input, he was cool under pressure and he gave a lot of advice."
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