The Greatest All-rounders in Cricket History
Cricket’s 10 Greatest Ever All-Rounders
A genuine all-rounder, i.e. a player who is very good at both batting and bowling is an unusual but precious commodity in the game of cricket.
Richard Hadlee (Bowling) and Ian Botham (Backing up)
In the gentleman's game, many numerous and diverse legendary cricketers have been blessed with an exceptional skill set in both batting and bowling.
In cricketing history, we have witnessed a few greats that have been gifted enough to be regarded as deadly and versatile weapons with both the ball and bat.
Many cricketing grandstanders can declare themselves to be amongst this exclusive group, while only a handful of these will go down in the history books as being all-time greats.
Genuine All-Rounders are like gold dust, as they are difficult to produce, but a huge asset if they can manage the workload.
From Sir Garfield Sobers, Imran Khan, and Kapil dev to Jaques Kallis, Andrew Flintoff, and Shahid Afridi, here are the greatest all-rounders of all time who have assailed the pitches with their bowling, entertained the spectators with sensational batting and won the hearts and minds of fans across the globe.
We bring to you 10 of those gentlemen who have become ultimate all-rounding legends.
Sir Garfield Sobers (1954-1974) – West Indies
Test Career: 93 matches, 8,032 runs, 57.78 batting average, 26 centuries, 235 wickets, 34.03 bowling average.
ODI Career: 1 match, Did not bat, 0.00 batting average, 0 centuries, 1 wicket, 31 bowling average.
First on our list is the legendary West Indian All-Rounder Sir Garfield Sobers. During the 1980s, the West Indian side was a true masterclass.
The Caribbean soil has produced some of the most exceptional cricketers of all time such as Sir Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, and Brian Lara. Before them, there was no more prominent and sensational player than Gary Sobers.
Sobers was the ultimate Cricketer of his era and according to various renowned bowlers, Sobers was the toughest player to bowl at and the most laborious batsman they have ever faced. Sir Don Bradman, the greatest batsman of all time, once called Sobers a "five-in-one cricketer" since he excelled in all cricketing crafts with wicket-keeping being the only exception.
He could produce anything on the field and was a legitimate threat to opponents with his batting and bowling skills.
Sobers could bowl at a medium pace as well spin according to the pitch & weather conditions and situation of the match, and with the bat in hand, he was just disastrous, to say the least.
I think a premium player like Sobers would easily make it into any side of any era as he was a nightmare for many oppositions throughout his sensational career.
Imran Khan (1971-1992) – Pakistan
Test Career: 88 matches, 3,807 runs, 37.69 batting average, 6 centuries, 362 wickets, 22.81 bowling average.
ODI Career: 175 matches, 3,709 runs, 33.41 batting average, 1 century, 182 wickets, 26.61 bowling average.
Imran Khan is another graceful legend on our list of the Greatest All-Rounders of all time. Imran was the real power that made the Pakistani team play with flair and without any fear.
He was an inspirational C-in-C of the green team that produced a never-say-die attitude in the whole team.
Against all odds in the 1992 World Cup, he made the Pakistani team shift its drive around after losing the opening matches of the tournament and made them fight like cornered tigers, and encouraged his country to achieve World Cup brilliance in 1992. If Pakistan was hooked on Cricket before this, it was even more hooked after.
Imran will always be recognized as a champion bowler and a clever batsman that performed when his team needed him the most.
He was a born leader that committed to every perspective of the sport. When Imran was at his peak, without any ambiguity he was the fastest bowler in the world which made life difficult for any batsman around the world. But after some acute injuries, his bowling ventures waned away, but his batting improved leaps and bounds and he was able to play in the side purely as a batsman.
He was a true and competitive leader that had an eye for young talents that eventually became future sagas of the World game.
The likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aqib Javed, and Inzamam-Ul-Haq are prime examples that became all-time greats. There will never be another Imran Khan, as he was one of a kind that captivated and inspired fans all over the world throughout his career.
Kapil Dev (1978-1994) – India
Test Career: 131 matches, 5,248 runs, 31.05 batting average, 8 centuries, 434 wickets, 29.64 bowling average.
ODI Career: 225 matches, 3,783 runs, 23.79 batting average, 1 century, 253 wickets, 27.45 bowling average.
The 3rd epic name on the list is Kapil Dev. Kapil "Haryana Hurricane" is one of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced.
The whole Indian nation has been blessed with surpassing batting geniuses in every era who has controlled the innings with their bat, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar and Now Virat Kohli, but since Kapil’s departure, India is still hunting for his precious replacement.
Kapil Dev was a pure all-rounder and a match-winner with both bat and ball and was an exceptional bonus for team India during his 16 years of a great international career.
One interesting thing about Kapil's career is that he played most of his cricket on flat decks in the subcontinent and we know these surfaces had produced very little for fast bowlers like him. But still, Kapil has bagged over 400 test wickets.
Moreover, in his prime, Kapil was a daring batsman that played lofted shots against the most atrocious fast bowling attacks with absolute smoothness.
Under his captaincy, India became champions of the World for the very first time in 1983 which revolutionized the grimace of Indian Cricket forever.
Sir Ian Botham (1977-1992) – England
Test Career: 102 matches, 5,200 runs, 33.54 batting average, 14 centuries, 383 wickets, 28.40 bowling average.
ODI Career: 116 matches, 2,113 runs, 23.21 batting average, 0 centuries, 145 wickets, 28.54 bowling average.
Number 4 on our list is the great Englishman of the 1980s, Ian Botham was a fundamental appearance in the revival of cricket's sleeping lion.
It is Botham's Ashes heroics that he is best spotted for, as he was the difference between the two teams in the Ashes series that became known as 'Botham's Ashes' in 1981, where England would beat Australia 3-1. He took 34 wickets at an average of 20.58, including three fifers, and scored 399 runs at an average of 36.27, with two centuries.
Ian Botham was one of the best all-rounders of his era, along with Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, and Kapil Dev. Botham could march into the then-English side either as a premier batsman or as a bowling specialist.
When Botham hung up his gloves, he was the highest wicket-taker in Test Cricket. He is also the highest wicket-taker against Australia — 148 dismissals at a wavering average of 27.65. He is still undoubtedly one of the all-time sparkling greats of the gentleman's game.
Jaques Kallis (1995-2014) – South Africa
Test Career: 166 matches, 13,289 runs, 55.37 batting average, 45 centuries, 292 wickets, 32.65 bowling average.
ODI Career: 328 matches, 11,579 runs, 44.36 batting average, 17 centuries, 273 wickets, 31.79 bowling average.
T20I Career: 25 matches, 666 runs, 35.05 batting average, 0 centuries, 12 wickets, 27.75 bowling average.
At number 5 comes South Africa's most versatile chap, Jacques Kallis. And I personally think he has to be on the top mark in the Greatest All-rounders list.
Kallis made the South African side an onerous and composite unit that won the series after on their home soil as well as abroad. Kallis was truly a gift to cricket as he was the supreme all-rounder that could have been a part of any side in any era of the game.
Batting at Number 4 for the Proteas, he scored many brilliant knocks with absolute control throughout the globe, and on many occasions, he made many remarkable centuries only for the entertainment of the spectators.
His numbers are unbelievable and beyond comparison, as he set the benchmark for many players of all teams. Kallis was also a gentleman that played in the spirit of the game and hardly lost his cool temperament in his illustrious career.
With the ball in hand, he always gave Proteas important wickets in the middle overs and was a perfect contrast to Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock in the late 90s and Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the 2000s.
The one thing that also makes him unique from the rest of the cricketing company was his slip catching. The bucket hands of Kallis had been just superb in the slip region to both fast bowlers and spinners.
Richard Hadlee (1973-1990) – New Zealand
Test Career: 86 matches, 3,124 runs, 27.16 batting average, 2 centuries, 431 wickets, 22.29 bowling average.
ODI Career: 115 matches, 1,751 runs, 21.61 batting average, 0 century, 158 wickets, 21.56 bowling average.
In at number 6 is the Kiwi's most eminent chap, Sir Richard John Hadlee. Richard Hadlee had a masterclass career playing for New Zealand. He was the first bowler to pick up 400 wickets in Tests. He also was the highest wicket-taker (431) in Tests when he retired.
He was declared the most lethal bowler between 1978 and 1988 and is one of the greatest swing bowlers of all time.
He played in an era that witnessed four of the most exquisite All Rounders of All-time which were Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, and himself.
All other 3 greats earn the position above him just because of the fact that all of them as the batsmen were head to head with each other, but when it came to bowling he was far ahead of them.
He was also a handy lower-order batsman who would come in and throw his bat at the ball, ending up with a reasonable average of 27.16 which included two centuries and 15 half-centuries.
This showed that during his times, Hadlee was a versatile bowling all-rounder, plus, a capable left-handed batsman who could provide crucial runs nearer to the end of an innings.
Impressive statistics, but Graham Gooch puts Hadlee's ability in perspective the best by saying,
"Richard Hadlee at one end, Ilford seconds at the other."
Shaun Pollock (1995-2008) – South Africa
Test Career: 108 matches, 3,781 runs, 32.31 batting average, 2 centuries, 421 wickets, 23.11 bowling average.
ODI Career: 303 matches, 3,519 runs, 26.45 batting average, 1 century, 393 wickets, 24.50 bowling average.
I know some of you guys may be astonished to see Shaun Pollock at number 7. His fine record carried him on my list and we know Pollock's meticulously crafted career can't be ignored when looking at the great all-rounders of all time.
Widely recognized as one of the great South African cricketers of all time, Pollock was a bowling all-rounder who was, for a time, one of the most consistent bowlers in the world while also being capable of breaking in with the bat.
His bowling properties were absolutely compatible and very economical, generally, hard to score runs off. As a batsman, Pollock was capable of proffering a reliable execution with his bat, but oftentimes struggled to accelerate towards big scores; this is shown by only having two centuries to his name. However, he still averages 32.31, which isn't dissimilar to that of Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, or Andrew Flintoff.
Pollock ended his career in 2008, and in time, and without any doubt, he will be remembered as one of the finest all-rounders of the modern era.
Andrew Flintoff (1998-2009) – England
Test Career: 79 matches, 3,485 runs, 31.77 batting average, 5 centuries, 226 wickets, 32.78 bowling average.
ODI Career: 141 matches, 3,394 runs, 32.01 batting average, 3 centuries, 169 wickets, 24.38 bowling average.
T20I Career: 7 matches, 76 runs, 12.66 batting average, 0 centuries, 5 wickets, 32.20 bowling average.
In at 8 is England's ultimate hero of the 2000s, Andrew Flintoff, or as he's better known, Freddy Flintoff.
He is best known for his master blaster performances in the 2005 Ashes series that saw the English Lions win the Ashes for the first time since 1986/87, exposing the Kangaroos who entered the arena of cricket with the constant label of "best in the world."
Freddy was a magnificent fast bowler capable of bowling over 140 Kmph. Flintoff bamboozled many of the finest batsmen of his era with his deadly and swift pace.
His bowling was a treat to watch as even the best batsmen had no answers for his swinging Yorkers. Plus, he was a hard-hitting batsman and could clear the ropes at will.
I think more than his numbers, the energy he always brought to his team was fantastic. He was a marvellous showman, who lifted his entire team on his shoulders.
Sanath Jayasuriya (1991-2011) – Sri Lanka
Test Career: 110 matches, 6,973 runs, 40.07 batting average, 14 centuries, 98 wickets, 34.34 bowling average.
ODI Career: 445 matches, 13,430 runs, 32.36 batting average, 28 centuries, 323 wickets, 36.75 bowling average.
T20I Career: 31 matches, 629 runs, 23.29 batting average, 0 centuries, 19 wickets, 24.00 bowling average.
The number 9 on our list is Sri Lanka's most colourful guardian, Sanath Jayasuriya.
Jayasuriya was the man who redefined the term of the opening in ODI's.
His thrilling and matchless tactics of attacking the opening bowlers during the mandatory field restriction period have been just unparalleled. He used to play lofted drives over the infielders spoiling the decorum of the opening bowlers. He has torn apart almost every bowler in his era.
Jayasuriya was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler in the initial stages of his career, but he gradually focused on his batting techniques to become a better batsman for the Lankans. With time, Jayasuriya continued improving his batting and hence, made him a prominent Batting-Allrounder.
As a deadly opening batsman, Jayasuriya will always be remembered for his powerful cut-shots and jaunty cover drives which made him one of the most lethal hard hitters in the cricket world.
Bangladesh's former captain and versatile spin-bowling all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hassan was a true cast, and close representation of this Sri Lankan legend.
Shahid Afridi (1996-2018) – Pakistan
Test Career: 27 matches, 1,716 runs, 36.51 batting average, 5 centuries, 48 wickets, 35.60 bowling average.
ODI Career: 398 matches, 8,064 runs, 23.57 batting average, 6 centuries, 395 wickets, 34.51 bowling average.
T20I Career: 99 matches, 1416 runs, 17.92 batting average, 0 centuries, 98 wickets, 24.44 bowling average.
The last and number 10 eminent star on our list of the Greatest All-Rounders of all time is Pakistan's most loving son, Shahid Afridi. He is considered one of the most destructive hitters in the world of cricket. As his batting style was aggressive and attack-oriented, former Indian Cricketer and Cricket Commentator Ravi Shastri gave him the title of "Boom Boom."
As a successful all-rounder, Afridi was recognized for his consistent leg-spin bowling that relied on a change of pace rather than spin, but he drew greater attention for his aggressive batting style.
He burst onto the international scene by scoring a monstrous 37-ball hundred in an ODI against Sri Lanka in his debut innings in 1996 — a world record that lasted for 17 years. He continued his insane hitting ability and had an ODI strike rate of 117+, the 3rd highest in cricket history.
His 476 sixes in international cricket are second only to West Indian batting God, Chris Gayle, in the list of most sixes.
Afridi considers himself a better bowler than a batsman and has taken 395 wickets in ODI and 48 Test wickets.
According to ESPN CricInfo, Afridi is 3rd on the table of most T20I wickets, with 98 wickets from 99 matches. While his countrymen, Umar Gul (85 wickets in 60 matches) and Saeed Ajmal (85 wickets in 64 matches), stands at 6th and 7th rank on the table respectively.
Afridi was a sparkling trademark of modern cricket. And undoubtedly, Boom Boom Afridi is one of the most astonishing, entertaining, and master blaster cricketers of all time.
More than his numbers, the energy he always brought to his green team was just phenomenal. He was a real showman, who lifted his team everywhere, every time.
Honourable Mentions:
Chris Cairns (New Zealand), Shakib- Al- Hassan (Bangladesh), Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan), Ben Stokes (England), Keith Millar (Australia), Lance Klusener (South Africa), Shane Watson (Austrailia), Tony Greig (England), Richie Benaud (Australia), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), and Wilfred Rhodes (England).
