Adam Craig Gilchrist

Profile:

The current Australian vice-captain, Adam Gilchrist is one of the world's most exciting cricketers. Originally from New South Wales, he made his entry to first-class cricket as a specialist batsman but ultimately relocated when it became obvious that his desire to become a first-class wicketkeeper would not be fulfilled in his home state. In 1994-95, he duly elected to transfer to Western Australia, where he quickly displaced former international player, Tim Zoehrer. He has not looked back since.

Although Gilchrist's elevation to national honours was not without controversy (as it was made at the expense of the ever-popular Ian Healy), he has subsequently become an integral member of Australian Test and One-Day International line-ups. His talent and general cricketing acumen have also seen him come to occupy a position among Australia's core group of leaders over recent years. He has already captained his country twice at Test level - in Adelaide in late 2000 and at Headingley the following year.

Moreover, Gilchrist has exerted a major impact in both forms of the game, complementing his skills as a gloveman by filling a vital niche as a dashing opener at one-day level and as a prolific scorer of runs down the order in the longer version of the game. Many of his performances have been outstanding. Numbered among these are his attainment of the then highest individual score by an Australian at ODI level (in Melbourne in 1998-99) and his pivotal role (in only his second Test) in a match sure to be cast long into the future as one of Australia's most famous wins - the victory over Pakistan in Hobart in 1999-2000. With his scintillating 122 against India in the Mumbai Test of 2000-01, he registered the second-fastest century by an Australian in Test history; he struck the then fastest Test double century in Johannesburg in early 2002; and he also currently shares the world record for the most number of dismissals (six, in Cape Town in 1999-2000) in a ODI innings.