Whatever career Adam Gilchrist tries to pursue as a day job after retiring from all forms of cricket following a stint in the IPL, he should give dancing a shot.
For Gilchrist proved on a balmy night in Dharmsala that he can swivel his hips as fast as he can wave his cricket bat.
He gave notice to all the naysayers he could bowl a bit too.
The legendary ‘keeper did a fine impersonation on the night of the Gangnam style dance that has taken the world by storm.
Guess though he must have learnt some of the moves from fellow-swashbuckler, on the IPL circuit, Chris Gayle.
An animated Gilchrist, skipper of Kings Punjab XI, resembled a caterpillar trying to move his body while standing still at the same time, during the impromptu celebration after snaring the wicket of Mumbai Indians’ Harbhajan Singh last Saturday night.
Of course, it was the final over and the star-studded Mumbai Indians needed an impossible 50 runs to win.
Gilchrist threw aside his pads behind the sticks, stepped up to bowl and took the “Turbinator’s” wicket with his very first ball, following a hoik to the long-on boundary where the catch was pouched.
It, was as far as I know, Gillie’s first-ever wicket!
Only his thirteenth ball bowled in first class cricket.
But his celebratory antics stole the show and almost overshadowed the IPL circus for the night.
And what a circus it can be!
Balls flying like white missiles into the stratosphere, (aided by bats that could be mistaken as WMDs) the pom pom girls on the sidelines trying to keep up with every cue, the cricket-mad audience adding to the din, and bowlers – and batsmen – doing their best to entertain the crowd’s every whim.
Despite Punjab’s win, the game was of academic interest as they were already out of the tournament.
Gilchrist might only have scored a miserly five in Punjab’s innings of 183 off 20 overs, but his reaction to his final swansong for the night – and career – typifies the fighting spirit that is Adam Gilchrist.
Another Australian did on the night mind you set Dharmsala alight, fellow Punjab player, Shaun Marsh, who blitzed 63 off 47 balls.
Imagine the commentators’ surprise especially now that the game had drawn to its inevitable end in the final over, when the camera quickly panned to Gilchrist at the bowler’s mark.
No extravagant field settings by the captain.
I remember Graeme Smith coming on to bowl for South Africa for the first time. That seemed to take an eternity as he tried to get third man and deep extra cover in the right place.
Not Gilchrist. He made some minor adjustments to the field –off course he’s a ‘keeper isn’t he?
Who knows field placings any better?
What Gillie having a bowl? Where would this one go I thought? What was he going to bowl? A long hop? A full toss? A beamer? No Gillie … no!
Bow out with some respect, behind the sticks with gloves is where you belong!
But surprisingly with a hint of some revolutions on the ball, he tosses it up expertly and invitingly. Harbhajan seeing a chance to put an old nemesis out of his misery in his final game, looks awkward as he shimmies half a step out of his crease; the eyes light up for just a split second.
Now Harbhajan looks out of his depth as one of his hands comes momentarily off the bat as he tries to cream the ball out of the ground. The white missile loops high and far quite quickly despite Harbhajan’s lack of technique.
Anxious moments as everyone waits to see the ball’s final trajectory.
It lands safely in the hands of the catcher on the long-on boundary, to Gillie’s utter relief.
Now pandemonium breaks out on the field of play.
It’s the Gillie show – says the commentator! “Gillie’s taken a wicket!”.
The cameraman focuses on Gillie who does a Gangnam dance – it looks even better in slow motion. Is he riding a horse? No it’s Gillie saying, “I’m outta here – Gangnam style!”
He rushes and jumps on to a teammate and he hugs another like a husband who’s had some business playing in the IPL and now finally reunited with his wife.
The back-slapping follows, more hugs and eventually handshakes. I’m sure I saw Ricky (Ponting) among the Mumbai Indians’ bench-warmers, giving his compatriot a celebratory handshake too.
It was the Gillie show – indeed and the IPL stage milked it for what it was worth.
You might have thought Kings Punjab had won the match. But they hadn’t.
It was just ‘ole Gillie having his place in the sun. And enjoying every minute of it.
That put some perspective on what Adam Gilchrist is to the game; the nature of his “final play” in the IPL , which would be his career swansong, was momentous to the man.
The years are catching up with the likes of Tendulkar, Ponting, and before them, guys like Haydos. Not a young man’s game anymore, especially this T20.
Go out on a high, but go out on top, if you must.
Gilchrist had not performed well in IPL as he showed in a stellar career playing “proper cricket” as some would say. But Punjab’s co-owner Preity Zinta has as much enthusiasm as the players she “owns” and was magnanimous in her praise of Gilchrist.
She was asked for an abiding memory of Gilchrist’s time with the team.
“Down to earth and a gentleman,” she said.
“And always a mentor to the younger guys, always motivating them and building them up and always gives young cricketers a chance in the team.” A fantastic ambassador, she added.
IPL may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Gilchrist like a skilled brewmaster that brews the finest over time, hit home the fact that true success – and respect – do not come like a bolt out of the blue overnight.
And, once you have earned that success and respect, you can own your stage and win over hearts as this exceptional wicketkeeper and cricketing legend did on a balmy night in Dharmasala.
Bye Mr Gilchrist once again, we shall miss you indeed!
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