Australia picking up at right time and primed to end T20 World Cup drought: Adam Gilchrist

Australia have dominated two older versions of cricket -Tests and ODIs -but they are yet to do the same in the T20Is. The Kangaroos have been the No.1 side in red-ball cricket besides winning the 50-over World Cup five times since 1987 besides ending up as the runners-up twice. But in the T20I format, they have not won the world title even once even as the West Indies have won it twice.

Australia’s best performance in a T20 World Cup has been finishing as the finalists in the 2010 edition in the Caribbeans when they lost the title clash to arch-rivals England. They have not made another final since the tournament started in 2007. However, the Men in Yellow could have a fair chance to fulfil their dreams next year when the T20 World Cup will be played Down Under in October-November.

They have had a good run in the same format in 2019 by beating India in India and Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home and have remained without a defeat so far this year. In the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) latest ranking, too, Australia have made it to the second spot after annihilating the Lankans 3-0 and Pakistan 2-0.

Former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist believes his country is doing it perfectly ahead of the big trophy next year at home. “I think they are really well-placed seeing how they’ve started the summer. They’ll love the conditions, they love the grounds, they’re bigger grounds, they’ll play them well,” Times of India cited agencies as quoting Gilchrist saying in an interview. He was in Mumbai for a promotional event of Tourism Western Australia.

‘Australia focusing on picking best team’

“We got everyone available now, which is great. I think Australia is, probably for the first time ever, focusing on picking their best team regularly and not just for the World Cups.”

Australia dominated the Lankans and Pakistanis, who are ranked No.1 in T20Is, and could have made it 3-0 against the Men in Green as well had not rain prevented delivery of 11 balls at the SCG. Aaron Finch’s side was very much in control of the game played in Sydney and the captain was disappointed over a 20-minute interval in the rain-hit game.

The 47-year-old Gilchrist, who had bagged the Man of the Match award in the final of the 2007 World Cup, played only 13 T20Is in his career but appeared in 102 T20s in which he slammed three centuries and has a strike-rate of 140 plus. In 2009, Gilchrist even led the now-defunct Deccan Chargers to win the second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa. He was also adjudged the player of the series in that tournament for an unbelievable batting performance.

According to Gilchrist, Australia have enough time to decide on their perfect combination for the T20Is. Gilchrist, who retired in 2008 after a glittering career spanning almost 12 years, said Australia had enough time to pin down their perfect combinations for the shortest format.

“I think they’re probably still working out whether to use two spin bowlers or one spin bowler and a batting all-rounder like Mitch Marsh or (Marcus) Stoinis,” he said, making a special mention of spinner Ashton Agar. “They’ve got time to work that out but I think they have got a really well-balanced squad.”

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