Top 10 Best All-Rounders in Cricket History

The Top Ten
1 Jacques Kallis

To call Jacques Kallis an "all-rounder" is actually insulting to his true greatness as a batsman. He has scored almost 25,000 international runs (tests and ODIs) in his career, has the second-highest number of test centuries (after Tendulkar), and his test batting average is higher than Tendulkar's.

He is rather one of the top 3 test batsmen who ever lived, who also happened to take 565 international wickets (again, tests and ODIs only). I.e., 64 more wickets than the 501 times he lost his own wicket. No other past or present cricketer can say that, and, in my opinion, none will be able to do so in the future.

He is King Kallis...!

He is simply the best cricketer born in cricket history. His Test run aggregate, as well as the number of centuries scored, is the second-highest in Test history. An excellent medium-fast bowler, having nearly 300 wickets to his credit. Most importantly, an outstanding fielder who is only one of the two Test cricketers in history having 200 catches.

2 Imran Khan

He is undoubtedly the legend and the best all-round player ever in cricket history. After retiring from cricket, he has become the best philanthropist ever in Pakistan's history, then, coming into politics, he has become the greatest leader ever in the history of Pakistan after the founding father of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The world's most good-looking sportsman, maintaining those good looks with all the girls just waiting for you outside the ground just to get a glimpse of you, and maintaining that stardom without letting it affect your performance, takes a hell of hard work and determination. Imran emerged as the best all-rounder of his time. He was an excellent bowler and a very good batsman, and his leadership skills made his worth even more.

Just to give you an example, Imran averaged 19.3 in batting and over 28 in bowling before becoming the captain. But after he was made the captain, his batting average soared to over 55 and his bowling average dropped below 18, which is the best record for any captain in world cricket. Besides, Imran is the only player in history who got better as time passed while other all-rounders like Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, etc., got dull and their skills lacked as time passed by. Imran is probably the only player who finished his career leaving as a top man in world cricket.

3 Garfield Sobers

The greatest cricketer of all time. The West Indies would be losing by about 250 runs, and they thought they were going to lose by far, till Gary Sobers came in. He would just smack the ball for 6 or 4. He could also bowl fabulously. He could do fast and spin, both leg and off. He could also bowl with his left or right hand.

He was a deadly fielder as well. He would dive at the ball, catch it while he was still in the air, and throw it back when he was still in the air, and it would hit the stumps on the side. He should be in front of Kapil Dev. Dev should be at three, and Kallis should be second.

If I had to choose my top eight all-rounders of all time, it would be 1. Garry Sobers, 2. Jacques Kallis, 3. Imran Khan, 4. Ian Botham, 5. Shaun Pollock, 6. Kapil Dev, 7. Mike Procter, 8. Richard Hadlee! The reason why I put Garry Sobers at number 1 is that he's the only cricket player of all time that could bowl medium pace, fast, swing, seam, leg spin, and off spin! Another reason is that he has the tenth-best batting average of all time and comes second in the West Indies of all time! Go Garfield Sobers because nothing beats you!

4 Shakib Al Hasan

One of the best all-rounders in cricket history. It's not too long ago that Bangladesh was approved as a Test team, but Bangladesh has progressed very well in these days, and one of the major contributors is Shakib Al Hasan. In many of the matches won by Bangladesh, you will see the contribution of Shakib Al Hasan, either with the bat or ball, or with both. His terrific all-round performance has enhanced the Bangladesh team, and he is in the number 2 spot of top all-rounders of all time.

A talented left-hand batsman and left-arm spinner, Shakib Al Hasan is unarguably the best cricketer that Bangladesh has ever had. As a bowler, he is accurate, consistent, and canny. And his aggression and a wide range of strokes are the keys to his batting. Even more importantly, he has self-belief, an excellent temperament, unflustered by the big occasion, and is ready to do battle against the top teams.

5 Kapil Dev

I also feel Kapil was the best. An all-rounder means excelling in batting, bowling, fielding, and captaincy. But when we talk about all-rounders, we often only consider batting and bowling. Kapil excelled in all departments of the game. For example, Kapil was a great bowler, a very attacking batsman, an outstanding fielder (who can forget the Sir Viv Richards catch in the 1983 World Cup), and a dynamic captain (although later in his career, he was not supported by senior players who envied his charismatic personality). If you compare Kapil with others like Imran, Botham, Hadlee, you will notice none of them had it all. For example, Imran, Botham, and Hadlee were not very good fielders. Besides, Botham was not a good captain, and Hadlee never became captain. So, I give full marks to Kapil Dev.

Statistics don't actually reflect the greatness, for he wouldn't have been chosen the Wisden Greatest Cricketer of the last century over giants like Sunil Gavaskar & Sachin Tendulkar. The true hallmark of the greatest lies in the impact he leaves on the sport, and he certainly did!

He single-handedly moulded a team from a bunch of sore losers, or at most, playing for a draw, into world champions, and instilled a sense of self-belief & confidence that we witness today. None of his contemporaries has had as many dramatic moments in a cricketing career involving the bat, ball, captaincy, flair & fielding skills, and the ability to change the complexion of the game as often as he did. Who can forget his 175 not out, 4 continuous sixes to avoid a follow on, last ball wicket of Handle to clinch the Rothmans Cup, fielding skills in B&H! A truly once in a lifetime cricketer, deserving much better statistical achievements had he played for other nations.

6 Ian Botham Sir Ian Terence Botham is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator.

This top ten is a joke. Since when was Abdul Razzaq a better player than Botham? In fact, why are Gary Sobers and Ian Botham fighting for places in the top ten rather than battling it out for the top spot? Disgusting.

People here are not real cricket fans. Botham was the best and will stay in that place forever. Yuvraj Singh a better all-rounder? Have you guys gone nuts? And Sobers on 7th rank?

When this man came on the pitch, the excitement level of the crowd was amazing. He was expected to win the match on his own... And very often he did.

7 Shahid Afridi

One of the most charismatic cricketers of all time. Holds the record for the fastest century. No matter how many consecutive ducks he produces, the crowd always gets excited when he comes to strike, and the bowler always knows he wants to hit a six. He also holds the record for the most sixes in history and the best strike rate in ODI cricket.

When it comes to bowling, Afridi is the only All-Rounder to score more than 7000 runs with 300+ wickets. He got 7 wickets for 12 runs against WI in 2013, which is the second-best bowling figure of all time. Unlike other leg-spinners, he often goes for clean bowled. Deserves the #1 spot on the list.

A handsome and truly legendary cricketer the game has ever known! Although his fastest century record is broken now, he maintained it for 18 years. He still has the most sixes in international cricket and in one-day cricket. He has the highest strike rate and over 500 international wickets. He is a very useful and unpredictable player who can change the game in seconds. Thumbs up for Shahid Afridi!

8 Richard Hadlee

Champion fast bowler and a way better batsman than the very few bowlers in his league.
An all-time World XI candidate based on the stats.

Easily the best all-rounder of all time. His bowling average is the 3rd best of all time! His batting average is better than some number 5/6 batsmen.

9 Keith Miller

He could bat, bowl, and charm any Sheila.

The younger generation may not know much about him, but he is the greatest all-rounder of Australia. He deserves to be in the top 5 all-rounders in Test cricket.

10 Sanath Jayasuriya

Jayasuriya is a legend of the cricket world. His batting, bowling, and fielding abilities are unmatchable. He is the best game changer. His running between wickets is great.

Jayasuriya in 13th place... After Flintoff... Gone nuts? He was once the greatest cricketer of all time, which was when he played... even before Sachin?

Sanath Jayasuriya must be the number one all-rounder. Which player has reached his record of more than 13,000 runs, more than 350 wickets, and more than 100 catches, including run-outs? So, he is the number one player.

The Contenders
11 Shaun Pollock

I think he's the best. Did not really have very good bowlers helping him at the time. So, he had to keep runs down and take wickets. People forget he was batting way down the order, but that man could bat. Best by a long shot.

Best there is. Was a great bowler and batted very well down the order.

12 Andrew Flintoff

Andrew deserves the title of the best bowler, average batsman, and average fielder. Do not joke about keeping Dhoni on the list.

I'm a big fan of Andrew Flintoff because I like his batting and bowling as well.

He is a great all-rounder, a good batsman and a good bowler. Very talented.

13 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj is the best all-rounder I have ever seen. The day he doesn't bowl well, he is excellent with the bat, and when not with the bat, he is marvelous in his fielding and bowling. He was the main icon who helped India to win the World Cup 2011. He is god-gifted. India should certainly look for these kinds of players. He must keep it up.

Yuvraj Singh is the best all-rounder. His batting is so dangerous, and his bowling line and length are very crucial. He was the main icon for India to win the 2011 World Cup. It is the gift for the Indian team given by God. He should be given chances and help India to win matches. I SUPPORT YUVI...

Yuvraj is the best all-rounder of the Indian side. He tries to improve his batting strategy. He is a good role model in cricket history. Likewise, Yuvi's health is very good now.

14 Shane Watson Shane Robert Watson is a former Australian international cricketer and a former captain, who played all formats of the game.

He is the best. He is the best of all time. Nobody was like him. He is the most dangerous batsman in the history of cricket. He is rocking the world.

Shane Watson is a very good all-rounder. He can play all the shots comfortably on certain balls. He has a good temperament. He is very good at bowling too. I like him very much. Simply amazing to watch him play! But there is scope for improvement in his forward defense.

The Captain America of cricket. Not liked by most, but still the best. This guy should be at the first number on this list.

15 Chris Cairns

Great New Zealand all-rounder, a match winner with both bat and ball.

16 Ravindra Jadeja

I watched Jadeja in the final of the Champions Trophy, and he was excellent. Definitely a no-brainer.

In 2014, he performed exceptionally with the bat in ODIs. He was ranked 1st in ODI bowling rankings. He will be maximally utilized when batting at No. 5 (or 4) in ODIs.

He doesn't concede many runs and always takes a wicket or two.

17 Mahendra Singh Dhoni Mahendra Singh Dhoni, commonly known as MS Dhoni, is an Indian international cricketer who captained the Indian national cricket team.

He can bat, keep wickets, and bowl too when a spare wicketkeeper is available. Above all, he is a great captain. Truly an all-rounder in every sense of the word. He could work on his bowling a lot more.

In his first over, he got a wicket. What do you think about his batting?

He is the best human, rather than just a cricketer, I have ever seen. Hats off to Captain Cool MSD.

18 Abdul Razzaq

He is the world's best all-rounder. He can play according to the situation and hit huge sixes when required. He is a good bowler as well and can swing the ball along with slower deliveries.

If there's any doubt, watch his inning of 109 not out on 72 balls against South Africa.

I like him. He is the very best in cricket.

19 Lance Klusener

Lance Klusener is a best all-rounder. He was declared Man of the Series in the 1999 World Cup, taking 17 wickets and scoring 257 runs. He helped South Africa reach the semifinal.

Lance Klusener, who is the best all-rounder of all time. He is the greatest hitter and bowler. He led South Africa to reach the semifinal in the 1999 World Cup.

He is a match winner all the time. I miss you, my hero, Klusener.

20 Andre Russell

I think that in another 5 or 7 years, he would be in the top ten.

21 Muhammad Hafiz

Hafeez is a calm, cool, and collected guy. He plays cricket with a determined mindset and leads his team with great enthusiasm. He's one of the best all-rounders of all times, and having such a great man is more than a pleasure for the Pakistani nation!

The greatest all-rounder ever. He is an absolute legend.

He is a very talented all-rounder of the Pakistani team and one of the top all-rounders in T20s and ODIs. Hafeez always supports his team whenever Pakistan needs him, and he is an excellent captain too.

22 Ravichandran Ashwin

The best all-rounder in Test cricket currently, the best Test bowler and has a decent batting average... He is the next Kapil of India.

Why is he not on this list? Best all-rounder in the world!

He is a match-winner and silently breaking all records.
The way he is performing, within a year he will automatically be in the Top 10.

23 Wasim Akram Wasim Akram is a Pakistani cricket commentator, coach and former cricketer, captain of Pakistan national cricket team.

Perhaps the best left-arm fast bowler of all time, he was a magic bowler averaging 23 in both Tests and ODIs. A highest Test batting score of 257* puts him up there as one of the best bowling all-rounders of all time.

24 Irfan Pathan

India really missed his talent... He could have been India's best all-rounder if India had handled him brilliantly,... which Sourav did well in 2005.

He is the best all-rounder I have ever seen. He is my favorite player.

Number 1 bowling in the world for a left-handed all-rounder.

25 Suresh Raina

He is the best fielder in current cricket. The ball can never cross him when he is on the field.

The best batsman ever, and he bowls a technical bowling style that keeps him every year in the Top 10 lists in IPL for "best economy rate".

He is the best all-rounder in the world. I love you so much, Raina.

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