Three-time World Cup winner picks Marsh, Warner as Australians to watch in 2015 tournament
Former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has branded South Africa captain AB de Villiers the “most valuable cricketer on the planet”. Gilchrist, a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup winner, also tipped allrounder Mitchell Marsh as one to watch in next month’s tournament.
“(De Villiers’) versatility is extraordinary and he is amazing to watch,” Gilchrist said in an interview with the ICC. “He’s so inventive … he can play a touch game or a power game. Then, he can also keep wickets. “He’s also one of the best fielders in the world and recently has taken some wickets when he had a bowl. “And he leads his team very well, so, I think he’s the most valuable cricketer around.”
Closer to home, Gilchrist tipped Marsh to make a big impact in the tournament alongside teammate and opening batsman David Warner, while he believed India’s MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli would also have a big say in the outcome of the tournament.
One month remains until the start of the World Cup, with the opening matches to be played on February 14 in Melbourne and Christchurch. “I think next month’s tournament is going to be really exciting,” Gilchrist said. “Conditions, particularly in Australia, are going to be conducive to high scores, entertaining cricket and flamboyant play. “In New Zealand, there are more result-based wickets on offer, as there’s normally a bit in them for the bowlers. “The batsmen might struggle a bit more over there but I think we’re going to see an exciting and a close tournament.” Read: All the World Cup squads Reflecting on his own success in the green and gold in 1999, 2003 and 2007, Gilchrist said all three tournaments were very different. “In 1999, we just scraped through. We lost two of our first three games and one slip-up and we knew we were out of the tournament.
“In 2003, again we were a little bit shaky early on, but we got it right. “We ended up winning undefeated, but it was a lot closer than that. “In 2007, we just dominated. Guys like Glenn McGrath and Matthew Hayden were taking opponents out of play, so that was probably the ‘cruisier’ tournament.”
