His performances in the international arena are freakish. No wicket-keeper-batsman in today's game can hope to even get close. For those in the dark, here are a few of his achievements:

A pivotal role (playing in his second Test match, he scored his maiden hundred - an unbeaten 149) in the Test victory over Pakistan in Hobart in 1999-2000; the amazing 122 against India in the Mumbai Test of 2000-01 after Australia had been reduced to 99 for 5; the second-fastest century by an Australian in Test history; the then fastest Test double-century in Johannesburg in early 2002... the list can go on and on.

But his wicket-keeping is not a neglected art. He set a world record for the most number of dismissals (six) in an ODI innings in 1999/2000 and since then has repeated the feat twice. He also holds the career record for ODI dismissals (293 at the time of writing) by a considerable margin.

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