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Gilchrist at peace with retirement decision

Special Correspondent

‘I’m not moving quite as well as I have’‘Century in the final of the 2007 World Cup was special’

Adelaide: Fighting tears as he turned to his wife and extended family at the indoor nets here at the Adelaide Oval, Adam Gilchrist scarcely looked like the man who has frightened several international bowlers. But, Monday was his last day as a Test cricketer, and Gilchrist has never entirely embraced the Australian way of not showing emotions in public.

In the course of a warm retirement address, the 36-year-old spoke of the clarity that had marked the decision.

“It was somewhere between the ball hitting my gloves and the ball hitting the ground in the Laxman-Brett Lee edge,” he said in reply to when he had known it was time.

“I don’t think anyone in this room has missed the fact that I did miss a few chances this series,” he said. “It was bugging me and I couldn’t understand why.

“It made me realise in the ensuing 10 or 15 minutes that that’s it. I’m not moving quite as well as I have, not just on the field but in training and my fitness. I just realised I didn’t have the absolute desperation that you need to continue to maintain your standards.

Contributing factors

“The contributing factors to that are a new phase of life, new family members cropping up every few years... and just generally having a lot more on my mind.” Gilchrist said captaining Australia to a series win in India was the highlight of a remarkably successful career. He admitted to feelings of self-doubt when he saw Ricky Ponting injure his thumb in the Champions Trophy and realise he would be next in line.

“From that moment on I started to get nervous and had a few self doubts and considered not taking it on,” he said. “To captain that team for the bulk of the series and be part of the leadership group that constructed that was the highest point and greatest achievement of my career, personally.”

It was fitting that Gilchrist had the opportunity to lead the side here when Ponting was off the field with back trouble.

On a personal note, the great wicketkeeper-batsman said his century in the final of the 2007 World Cup was special. “That was one of the most difficult parts of my career, getting through the World Cup,” he said. “To pick myself up (for the final) was very special.”

Gilchrist said he was excited he’d end his career playing one-day cricket. “One-day cricket gave me a chance to make a statement to the selectors and to the world. That filtered into Tests.”

Next phase

What was the next phase? Plenty of time with family, said Gilchrist. But Indian fans will get to see him in the IPL.

“I’ve been a bit of a reluctant starter with Twenty20,” he said. “I was a bit of a traditionalist and wasn’t so sure about this short version of the game but over time and having played more of it and just seeing the way it works I’ve realised it’s an important part of the cricket structure now.”

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