“He’s probably the closest keeper-batsman to Adam Gilchrist that we’ve seen since he retired”

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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan have both said that South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is the cricketer whose style most resembles the legendary Adam Gilchrist since the Australian retired in 2008.

Gilchrist is arguably the greatest-ever wicketkeeper-batsman Australia produced as he scored 17 centuries and 26 fifties in Test cricket coming in at number seven.

De Kock’s Test career is still in it’s infancy period, but having already scored one century and six half-centuries, the 23-year-old is on track to match what Gilchrist achieved in his illustrious career, according to Ponting and Vaughan.

“He’s probably the closest keeper-batsman to Adam Gilchrist that we’ve seen since he retired,” Ponting told BT Sport. “Just the way he’s able to come in and really dictate to the bowlers the way he wants to play.

“He plays off the front foot, he’s strong off the back foot, but it’s the rate that he scores at that’s the most impressive.

“He slots into that No.7 spot perfectly for the South African team. It’s class batting, really.”

Vaughan echoed Ponting’s sentiments about the Johannesburg native, who made scores of 84 and 64 in the ongoing first Test against Australia in Perth.

“It’s a big shout because there’s been some outstanding wicketkeeper-batsmen and Adam Gilchrist led the way,” Vaughan said. “But I think he’s the closest to Adam Gilchrist, I really do.

“The way he plays, the way he naturally comes out and attacks the opposing bowler and puts him under pressure. It’s very, very similar to Gilchrist.”