Adam Gilchrist Reveals Details About Final Conversation Just 8 Hours Before Shane Warne's Death

Former Australian wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist opened up on a text conversation he had with fellow teammate and former leggie, Shane Warne, just eight hours prior to the tragic death of the latter.

Warne was found unresponsive in his resort room in Thailand. He is suspected to have died of a heart attack as per preliminary investigations. Gilchrist paid tribute to the former legend, who revolutionized modern spin bowling as we know it.

“I spoke to Shane about a week ago. I received a really nice text from him. Probably, I am assuming this was eight hours before he passed away. He was just sending me a message. He was one of the few guys that consistently called me church. It’s a nickname only those in the inner circle knew about – about being confused by a young English fan and they called me ‘Eric Gilchurch’. He always called me ‘Churchy’ and it always felt like a term of endearment from a friend.”

“He messaged me saying, ‘Church, wonderful tribute to Rod Marsh’. Which I was very honoured to do a voice-over. We were not even close to coming to terms with the passing of my childhood hero in Rod Marsh and another legend of the cricket world. Warnie just messaged me and said ‘well done on that sir’. So that was the last contact. It’s a text message I will never delete,” Gilchrist told ABC News.

“Ian Healy and I pretty much exclusively had the best seat in the house” – Adam Gilchrist

Speaking about the good times in his cricketing career playing for Australia alongside Warne, Gilchrist mentioned that he has many memories but none better than being the gloveman behind the stumps watching Warne do what he does best.

“It was the highlight of my cricketing career, simple as that. Forget the runs and everything, to keep wicket to Shane Warne… Ian Healy and I pretty much exclusively had the best seat in the house to watch a maestro at work. It all started at the top of his bowling mark. In fact, it actually started when he took his hat off. And the crowd knew that he was about to come on to bowl. Give the hat to the umpire, get to the top of the mark.”

“And then the theatrics. It was almost like a film director… a Spielberg-type person there. Just pulling the strings and setting everything and building it up… to the moment, when he invariably got his prey. It was an amazing angle and I would say that a very close and personal part of my journey was that keeper-bowler relationship with Shane,” Gilchrist further mentioned.

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