Former Australian swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist paid a heart-touching tribute to two of his longtime teammates - Shane Warne and Andrew Symonds - both of whom lost their lives in 2022. At the start of the latest edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), Gilchrist fondly remembered two of his best mates with whom he didn't just go to battle on the ground but also shared memorable moments in the commentary box.
Before the first game of the season between Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder, Gilchrist affirmed that 'a tough summer' awaits Australia without two of its biggest icons.
"We love the Big Bash, it’s our favourite time of the year. It was Warnie (Warne) and Roy’s (Symonds) as well, which makes this so hard," Gilchrist said in a video posted by Fox Cricket.
"Their record on the field was well documented – they were national icons, they were our icons, our favourites here in the commentary box on Fox Cricket. The game goes on, it always does – but we miss our two mates.
"It’s going to be a tough summer because we’re going to think of them every day.
"What beautiful characters they were. It’s going to be fun remembering them and keeping that legacy going," a teary-eyed Gilchrist said.
Watch the video here:
The year 2022 was one of the most tragic years for the entire cricket fraternity as it lost two great characters of the sport. In March 2022, Warne passed away after suffering a heart attack in Thailand and just two months later, Symonds lost his life in a car accident.
