This is a new series of articles we are starting on our site and it is a comparison between the best Wicket keepers of all time and we have 2 different articles comparing some of the best glovemen who have played the sport. These names have revolutionized the art of wicket keeping as well as being one of the best batters in the world and performing 2 roles for the team expertly and looking at them the modern keepers have tried to become as good a batter as they are a keeper.
In this first article we will compare the stats of MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist and try to see who had the bigger impact and who was the better batter and wicket keeper. These 2 have been the best wicket keepers for their nations in the history of the game and these 2 nations are 2 of the best in international cricket. Most importantly these 2 have been told models for the future generations of players that they need to be good sportspersons. So, let’s look at their stats and compare.
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni has been the best wicket keeper batter that India has ever seen and frankly will see for a long long time. The impact he had on the game was humongous and not easily replicated. So, let’s look at his stats.
Test Cricket
In the 90 Test Matches that he played for India he scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 and he also made 6 hundreds and a highest score of 224 vs Australia. He took 256 catches as a wicketkeeper in his test career and also had a total of 38 Stumpings. He was not a traditional wicket keeper as his style was so different to anyone else. Yet, he made such a mark that now new players try to be like him.
ODI Cricket
He played 350 ODIs for India and the number of runs that he scored at the average that he did coming mostly lower down the order is remarkable. He made a total of 10,773 runs at a mind blowing average of 50.53 in ODI Cricket and he also scored 10 Hundreds including a highest score of 183. As a wicket keeper he took 321 Catches and he had 123 Stumpings which was amazing.
Adam Gilchrist
Now that we have looked at MS Dhoni, it is time to have a look at my all time favorite wicket keeper batter and someone that was the pioneer for becoming a great batter while being a Keeper. The impact that he had on Australian cricket was enormous. Let’s have a look at his stats in both the formats.
Test Cricket
He played a total of 96 Test Matches for Australia and in that he made 5570 runs at a very good average of 47.60 and he also made 17 Test hundreds with a highest score of 204*. As a wicketkeeper in test cricket he took a whopping 379 Catches and had 39 Stumpings which is one of the most of all time. He was a game changer for Australia in the longest format.
ODI Cricket
In ODI Cricket Adam Gilchrist played 287 matches and he made 9619 runs at an average of 35.89 with 16 hundreds in ODI cricket with a highest score of 172. As a wicketkeeper in ODIs he took 417 Catches and he also had 55 Stumpings. The number of Catches he took was simply sensational.
MS Dhoni vs Adam Gilchrist Stats Comparison
After looking at the stats of both the players it can be said that in test cricket Adam Gilchrist was a step ahead of MS Dhoni because not only does he have a better average and more runs but also he has taken a lot more Catches than MS Dhoni.
In ODI Cricket however the tables have turned because here MS Dhoni is ahead of Adam as he has more runs than him and at a much better average and he has had a lot more Stumpings than him in ODI Cricket. So It can be said that Adam Gilchrist was better in test cricket and MS Dhoni was better in ODI Cricket.
