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If we talk about the great players of the great Australian side, four names stand out - McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist and Ponting.
All of these players were brilliant, but Gilchrist was the only one who was in a completely different league in his position.
During the early years of Australia’s dominance, one can argue that the likes of Wasim, Ambrose and Donald were nearly as good as McGrath.
Later on, we had the likes of Shane Bond, who is probably as good as any fast bowler I have seen. He dominated Australia at their best like no other bowler, and one can only imagine how good an injury-free Bond would have been playing for that Australian team.
Even the likes of Pollock, a less fancied name who struggled regularly against Australia, was nearly as good as McGrath against all other teams.
Warne is the greatest leg-spinner of all time, but post 1999, Muralitharan was nearly as good.
Ponting was the world’s best batsman from 2002 to 2006, but he was never in a different league to Tendulkar and Lara, it even Kallis if we talk about Tests specifically. Even Yousuf was better than him for a year.
However, Gilchrist was a country mile ahead of the next best WK of his time. Apart from maybe Hobbs, Bradman and Sobers, I don’t think any cricketer was so far ahead of his closest rival as Gilchrist was.
If you replace McGrath, Warne and Ponting with Wasim, Ambrose, Donald, Bond, Pollock, Muralitharan, Tendulkar or Lara, I don’t think that Australian team would lose their dominance.
However, if you swap Gilchrist for Boucher, Stewart, Kaluwitharana, Jones, Mongia, Moin or Latif, the entire complexion of the team changes.
If we pick one player to define the dominance of Australia from 1999 to 2007, you cannot look beyond Gilchrist.
Warne for me. He was taking wickets in unfavourable conditions and bowling long spells to give the seamers a rest. The greatest spinner of all time without doubt.
During the early years of Australia’s dominance, one can argue that the likes of Wasim, Ambrose and Donald were nearly as good as McGrath.
Maybe in terms of picking wicket but getting big wicket is art which only Glenn McGrath knew it.
But he did'nt deliver in favourable conditions.
The greatest test for australian side is to win test series in subcontinent,where shane warne was'nt impressive,it was mcgrath who troubled everyone almost everywhere.
The badge of honour which that aussie team wears is the result of them winning against subcontinent teams at their very best.
Warne was a failure against India in India, that hurts his legacy a little bit. Mcgrath was a beast everywhere, he even held his own in UAE conditions where even Steyn has fallen on his knees.
After Mcgrath it has to be Gilchrist, so many times the man has lifted Australia from precarious positions to winning positions.
Just check 2005 ashes ,McGrath didn't play 2 test and Australia lost both.without warne Australia won 2 more world Cup.
Shane Warne.His ability to produce that magical delivery was unmatched in the Aussie side.
True, but this usually happened after McGrath had already wreaked havoc.