Gilchrist considers his one-day future

Adam Gilchrist has hinted at his possible retirement from one-day cricket to extend his Test career, although he is not ready for such a move yet. Gilchrist had always believed in playing all forms of the game but the birth of his third child, together with the busier international cricket schedule has forced him to reconsider.

"Up until the last 12 months, I had never been a guy to consider phasing out one form of the game and just focusing on one," Gilchrist told The Sydney Morning Herald. "But I am open to thinking about that now. I have been quite firm on playing both forms in the past, but I guess that things have changed a little.

"When a few of the guys started retiring last year, it made me stop and reflect on where I was at personally. And, while the appetite is still very strong to keep playing, I've just noticed the hunger and the drive for Test cricket that guys like Warney and Justin Langer had when they didn't have one-day cricket to consider."

Gilchrist, 35, indicated he would resist the temptation to bow out of the limited-overs game after one of his most masterful displays - his blistering 149 that led Australia to victory in the World Cup final. "That's not to say that I am announcing right now that I am retiring from one-day cricket, but it's just that I am more open-minded about the issue these days," Gilchrist said.

Australia are expected to play a record-breaking 20 Tests in 2008. Combined with various ODI series, including the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September-October, that could mean unprecedented fitness challenges for an Australia squad that could still feature more than ten players aged over 30.