GVGjr
23-05-2008, 05:59 AM
This from Chappelli
Does everyone agree?
FORMER Test skipper Ian Chappell says Australia will not miss Adam Gilchrist greatly and insists new gloveman Brad Haddin will be much sharper behind the stumps.
As Australia entered a new era with Haddin becoming its 400th Test player in the first Test against the West Indies, Chappell urged the rookie Test gloveman to be true to himself and not try to walk in Gilchrist's footsteps.
Chappell left no illusions that he considered a "spasmodic" Gilchrist had waned for several years before his international retirement at the end of last summer.
He claimed Haddin would be better behind the stumps and Australia would not miss Gilchrist nearly as much as it thought.
"I think Haddin will improve the standard of wicketkeeping from what we have seen from Gilchrist in the last couple of years, because there is no doubt that his wicketkeeping form was heading south and heading south fairly quickly," Chappell said yesterday.
"I think if Haddin tries to be himself, he will be fine, and Australia won't miss the Adam Gilchrist of the last couple of seasons anywhere near as much as people think.
"Haddin has improved his glovework a hell of a lot. He is also a damn good batsman. Obviously he is not as brilliant as Gilchrist, but Gilchrist's brilliance was quite spasmodic in the last couple of seasons."
While sideswiping the departed Gilchrist, Chappell's words were also designed to inject Haddin with confidence as he walked out to make his Test debut at Sabina Park early this morning.
Teammates told how a nervous Haddin had endured several nights with little sleep at the Jamaica Hilton in the lead-up to his Test debut.
The Test series may not have the lustre it once did, but it contains several fascinating elements, including Haddin's debut and the comeback of Stuart MacGill, who thought his international career was finished.
Does everyone agree?
FORMER Test skipper Ian Chappell says Australia will not miss Adam Gilchrist greatly and insists new gloveman Brad Haddin will be much sharper behind the stumps.
As Australia entered a new era with Haddin becoming its 400th Test player in the first Test against the West Indies, Chappell urged the rookie Test gloveman to be true to himself and not try to walk in Gilchrist's footsteps.
Chappell left no illusions that he considered a "spasmodic" Gilchrist had waned for several years before his international retirement at the end of last summer.
He claimed Haddin would be better behind the stumps and Australia would not miss Gilchrist nearly as much as it thought.
"I think Haddin will improve the standard of wicketkeeping from what we have seen from Gilchrist in the last couple of years, because there is no doubt that his wicketkeeping form was heading south and heading south fairly quickly," Chappell said yesterday.
"I think if Haddin tries to be himself, he will be fine, and Australia won't miss the Adam Gilchrist of the last couple of seasons anywhere near as much as people think.
"Haddin has improved his glovework a hell of a lot. He is also a damn good batsman. Obviously he is not as brilliant as Gilchrist, but Gilchrist's brilliance was quite spasmodic in the last couple of seasons."
While sideswiping the departed Gilchrist, Chappell's words were also designed to inject Haddin with confidence as he walked out to make his Test debut at Sabina Park early this morning.
Teammates told how a nervous Haddin had endured several nights with little sleep at the Jamaica Hilton in the lead-up to his Test debut.
The Test series may not have the lustre it once did, but it contains several fascinating elements, including Haddin's debut and the comeback of Stuart MacGill, who thought his international career was finished.