When Adam Gilchrist boasted big in India in 2001

Adam Gilchrist was a destructive Test batter, but there were times when even he had a bit of a slump.

While on commentary for the 2025-26 men's Ashes, Gilchrist recalled his first Test tour of India, in 2001.

"This might sound a little bit self-indulgent, but it's more self-deprecation," Gilchrist starts while describing the hundred he scored in Mumbai on the first Test of the tour.

"[In] 2001, Australian cricket team hadn't won over there in a series for 31 years. I scored 100 off 80 balls."

Australia won the Test by ten wickets. It was a world-record 16th Test win in a row for the side, so naturally, Gilchrist, not accustomed to losing, was upbeat about the rest of the series, and ribbed his team-mates about their past results in the country.

"I said, what's been going on? What took you so long? In the next Test [in Kolkata], I got a king pair, two golden ducks. And in the next Test [in Chennai] I got out for 1 and 1. Still having nightmares for being such a big head. And we lost the series. Just keep it shut next time, Churchy."

India memorably fought back in the Kolkata Test after following on and went on to win the series 2-1. But Gilchrist got a chance to redeem himself on the next tour, in 2004. He started that tour with another Test hundred, in Bangalore, and captained the side, in place of the injured Ricky Ponting, to a historic series win.