Rolling back the years

A few weeks ago, when the world's finest spinner announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket, I had a chat to one of the greatest entertainers the game has ever seen.

I was preparing to host the toss and he was going about his pre-game ritual in the glaring sun in Bangalore. He bounced up to me, shook my hand and as per normal, oozing enthusiasm.

I've been privileged over the years to get to know Adam Gilchrist pretty well. He is simply a quality bloke who is always full of energy and a delight to be around. We have all at some stage been in awe of his spectacularly explosive batting and have thoroughly appreciated his elite skill level. His mantra has always been to play the game to the best of his ability and at all times entertain. He got that right!

After swapping some initial banter we touched on his current and future plans. Obviously, with Shane's recent announcement, the topic of retirement was thick in the air. He left me in no doubt that, although he was thoroughly enjoying what he was doing, the sun was setting on his playing career. Understandable at 39 years of age.

It really must be challenging after some 15 years of playing at the highest level, year in year out, to suddenly have to perform consistently over only a seven-week period. That means for 45 weeks of the year your skills and fitness levels are not being fine tuned and suddenly, upon 'action time' arriving, you are expected to deliver. Gilly is the consummate professional and his preparation prior to the event would have been intense, but no one can suddenly pick up where they left off ten months ago and obtain optimum levels.

He certainly did not confirm impending retirement but with that spark in his eye and a smirk on his face he relayed that he will have plenty of time to think about it.

I was delighted with Adam Gilchrist's personal performance in Dharamsala. In the second game in the Himalayas he was able to put on an extraordinary exhibition and possibly sign off in style. As a proud man he would have been mightily disappointed with his runs prior to that game in IPL 4 and subsequently desperate to influence an outcome. We were stunned by what happened.

This area in the far north of India nestled among the Himalayas is tranquil, serene and peaceful. Gilly turned all that on its head with a violent act of swordsmanship. His personal pyrotechnics show almost bettered nature, as the heavens constantly illuminated with bolts of lightning in what appeared to be a raw act of appreciation.

Gilchrist rolled back the years and ran riot. He evoked memories of his best-ever work and proved that, in his 40th year, he still had the guns, just one more time.

His decimation of the Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowling attack left them stunned as he smoked nine towering sixes and eight fours in no time. In the 10th over he hammered three sixes in three deliveries and they are still looking for the ball from the last of those hotshots as it travelled a record 122 metres.

Gilly and Shaun Marsh put on a record-breaking 206-run partnership and celebrated the first 200-plus partnership in this form of the game. The Kings scored a massive 232 in 20 overs, which is the highest total in this edition. They scored a mammoth 133 off their last ten overs. Adam's outrageous personal return was a pristine 106 off 55 balls.

Once the carnage was over Gilchrist slapped on the gloves and proceeded to take a blinder to send Gayle packing on nought and with it, the game.

It was a sublime performance from one of the game's finest-ever players and entertainers. It was a spectacular display from one of the good guys who reminded us all of how good he was.

We were privileged. We may not see it again.