Adam Gilchrist Reveals Why He Walked Off During 2003 World Cup Semi Final

If you speak about honesty on a cricket field, the first name that comes to mind is that of former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist. It was in the 2003 World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka that Gilchrist decided to walk off to the pavilion despite being given not out by the on-field umpire Rudi Koertzen.

The southpaw Gilchrist smashed a delivery from Aravinda de Silva straight on to his pads. The ball popped up in the air and was safely taken by Kumar Sangakkara behind the stumps.

It was in a recent interview that Gilchrist revealed why he decided to walk on that particular day. Speaking on Bob which is aired on Fox Footy on every Tuesday, Gilchrist revealed an incident from his younger cricketing days which had a lasting impression on his life and career.

However, the impact got translation in the semi-final of the 2003 World Cup.

The incident goes back to the time when Gilchrist wasn’t an international star. He was part of the Australian Cricket Academy (ACA). The southpaw was playing under the mentorship of former Aussie stumper Rodney Marsh. That particular incident will be forever a reminder for him. It struck him quite severely like a “dagger in the heart.”

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Adam Gilchrist shares a life lesson during 2003 World Cup semi final:

“There was this wily old leg-spinner bowling to me and I went back and played this cut shot and smashed it straight into the keeper’s gloves and got given not out,” Gilchrist said. He will be commentating for Fox Sports in the upcoming season. Gilchrist was quite surprised to be given not out. He made full use of the opportunity and went on to score a brilliant century,” he said.

The bowler who was at the receiving end of that decision congratulated Gilchrist after the century. The stumper was rather embarrassed and apologized to the bowler.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. It obviously means more to you at the moment than it does to me,” the bowler had replied. That was a big life lesson learnt by Gilchrist.

Hence, from that day onwards, Gilchrist started walking on his own volition. But had Gilchrist not left the field on that day nobody would have blamed him. There was no review system back then.

However, that life lesson prompted Gilly to leave the pitch. He knew that he had knicked it and it was enough for him to leave the field.