Adam Gilchrist: Australia's Explosive Wicketkeeper — Fastest Test Century (57 Balls), 2007 WC Final 149

Adam Craig Gilchrist was born on 14 November 1971 in Bellingen, New South Wales. He made his Test debut against Pakistan in Brisbane in November 1999 and his ODI debut in January 1996. He became Australia's first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman in 1999 and transformed the role — where wicketkeepers had traditionally batted lower in the order and scored cautiously, Gilchrist batted at number seven and attacked from ball one. His combination of destructive batting and reliable wicketkeeping made him one of the most complete cricketers in the history of the game.

57-Ball Test Century and 2007 World Cup Final 149

Adam Gilchrist held the record for the fastest Test century in terms of balls faced — 57 balls against England at the WACA in Perth in December 2006 — at the time of his retirement (later broken). He scored 5,570 Test runs at 47.60 with 17 centuries — figures that, for a wicketkeeper, were extraordinary. His 149 off 104 balls in the 2007 World Cup Final against Sri Lanka in Barbados was the highest score by a wicketkeeper in a World Cup final and earned him the Player of the Match award. He famously batted with a squash ball inside his glove in that innings — a personal technique to align his grip. Australia won the 2007 WC Final by 53 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Legacy and Self-Dismissal

Adam Gilchrist was also known for his spirit of cricket — he walked (gave himself out) even when not given out by the umpire on several occasions, most notably in the 2003 World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka. He was the first significant Test batsman in the modern era to regularly walk. He retired from all international cricket in March 2008 after Australia's tour of the West Indies. He scored 9,619 ODI runs at 35.89. He played 96 Tests and 287 ODIs. He won three consecutive ODI World Cups as part of Australia's squad (1999, 2003, 2007).