Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist (Image Credit: Getty)

In less than two weeks, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will begin, and Australia icon Adam Gilchrist has selected the first five players he would start in his ideal World T20I XI.

Gilchrist, a player who changed the game with his work with both the bat and the gloves on the wicket, had a famous white-ball career for Australia, winning three Cricket World Cups. With a strike rate of over 140 in the T20 match, Gilchrist displayed his skills in the young format.

Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist (Credits: Twitter)

Gilchrist is the latest recent player to name his top five picks for an ideal T20I XI, following in the tradition of past greats Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, and Mahela Jayawardena who also shared their thoughts on the challenging assignment.

Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist[photo: Twitter]
While Ponting shared four players with Gilchrist when speaking with host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, fellow Australian Waugh only listed two players with Gilchrist — Rashid Khan and Jos Buttler.

Adam Gilchrist picks his top five T20I players: 

1. David Warner (Australia) – ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 49th

David Warner
David Warner. Credits: ICC

“He’s at the top of the order, I think just his attacking attitude, the way he kick-starts innings at the top, and the confidence he’ll have from the previous T20 World Cup,” Gilchrist said.

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2. Babar Azam (Pakistan) – ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 3rd

Babar Azam
Babar Azam (Credits: Twitter)

“His versatility across all formats, but also when it’s getting down to T20 cricket, just across all conditions, I think he can play all conditions well,” Gilchrist noted.

3. Hardik Pandya (India) – ICC T20I All-Rounder Ranking: 4th

Hardik Pandya
Image Credits – Getty Images

“Pandya is just an awesome figure straight across the board, His ability to bat, bowl, field, and entertain, he’s definitely in there,” Gilchrist said.

4. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – ICC T20I Bowling Ranking: 4th

Rashid Khan. PC- Getty
Rashid Khan. PC- Getty

“He’s just got to be there in any T20 team, doesn’t he?” Gilchrist said.

“Cricketer of the year in this format across the world. Over the last decade, Rashid Khan is in there.”

5. Jos Buttler (England) – ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 21st

Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler. (Photo: Twitter)

“It’s a bit batting heavy I know, but Jos Buttler for me, He is just dynamic, his power and his courage to take it on. Simply a stroke of brilliance from him and its game over,” Adam Gilchrist added.