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Top All Rounders in Cricket

 

Top 7 All-rounders

All-rounders are a group of multidimensional cricketers whom every team envy to have in their ranks. Unfortunately, there are not many of them whom we can genuinely account for in this group. In present days, most of the bowlers can bat a bit, and the team's tail is not too long. But that was not the condition in the 80s and the 90s, where the bowlers seldom got the capability to bat. In those situations, the all-rounders were an envied possession of many teams. Many all-rounders could bat and ball with the same charisma and viciousness. In this article, we try to mention some of the best all-rounders.

1. Ian Botham

The former English captain is widely considered the greatest English all-rounder of all time. He was known for his aggressive batting and skillful swing bowling. Botham made his ODI debut against the mighty West Indies in 1976. The next year in 1977, he made his Test debut against Australia. Ian Botham made 5,200 runs from 102 Test matches at an average of 33.54, including 14 centuries and 22 half-centuries. But the sad part is that he could never score a century against West Indies. His top score against West Indies was 81, made in 1984 at the Lords. His highest score of 208 came against India in 1982 at the Oval.

In the bowling department, he took 383 wickets at an average of 28.40. His best bowling figures of 8/34 came against Pakistan at the Lords in 1978. In the ODI format, he has 2113 runs and scalped 145 wickets from 116 matches.

Ian Botham

2. Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis was the best all-rounder among cricketers active in the first decade of the 21st century. Kallis was rock solid with the bat and his fast-medium swing bowling was more than handy. He amassed 13,289 runs at an enviable average of 55.37 from 166 test matches. Kallis took 292 test wickets at an average of 32.65.  His batting average was better than Brian Lara's and his bowling average was close to the likes of Anil Kumble and Brett Lee. This simply shows the value he imparted to the team. In the ODI format, he scored 11,579 runs at an average of 44.36. Interestingly, he is the only cricketer who has scored more than 10,000 runs and scalped more than 250 wickets in test cricket.


Jacques Kallis
                                                                 

3. Richard Hadlee

Sir Richard Hadlee was the greatest all-rounder New Zealand has ever produced. New Zealand has always been a land of all-rounders. Chris Cairns, Daniel Vettori, and John Reid are some on the list. Richard Hadlee was more known for his fast bowling than his batting skills. He has a whopping 36 five-wicket hauls in 86 test matches. In as many matches he has taken 431 wickets at an average of 22.29. While in batting, he has scored 3,124 runs at an average of 27.16. His top score in Test cricket is 151* against Srilanka in 1987 at Columbo.

 

Richard Hadlee

4. Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev was the first Indian captain to win the 50-over World Cup. Kapil Dev played an important role in helping India achieve the feat. His highest score in an ODI came against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup. India was in a precarious condition of 17/5 when he came to bat. Kapil Dev made 5,248 runs at an average of 31.05 from 131 test matches. The ‘Haryana Hurricane’ took 434 test wickets at an average of 29.64. He was brilliant in ODIs too. IN ODI format he took 253 wickets and scored 3,783 runs. His bowling average in the ODI was 27.45.

Kapil Dev


5. Imran Khan

Pakistan clinched the 50-over World Cup held in Australia in 1992 under the captaincy of Imran Khan. Imran Khan was known for the reverse swing bowling. He could generate a good pace and swing with the ball. In Test format, he scored 3807 runs at an average of 37.69. He managed to take 362 wickets at a great average of 22.81. In the ODI format, he took 182 wickets and scored 3,709 runs. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Imran Khan managed to score heavily or take wickets even at the fag end of his career.

Imran Khan


6. Gary Sobers

Exceptional bowler, an aggressive batsman, and a great fielder. Sir Garfield Sobers was truly a great all-rounder. In 93 Test matches, he amassed 8,032 runs at an admirable average of 57.78. His highest score of 365* came against Pakistan at Kingston in 1958.  He scored 26 centuries in test cricket but got to play only 1 ODI match. He played his last test match in 1974, and at that time ODI cricket was not very popular. Interestingly, Sobers was selected to the West Indies team as a bowler. He has a tally of 235 wickets at an average of 34.

Garry Sobers


7. Keith Miller

Keith Miller was an Australian Fire Force Pilot and an Australian Rules Footballer apart from being a Test Cricket all-rounder. The ‘Golden Boy’ scored 2,958 runs in 55 test matches at an average of 36.97 with the help of 7 centuries and 13 half-centuries. He also managed to take 170 wickets at an average of 22.97.

Keith Miller


 

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