A great majority of cricket lovers give more importance to batting and neglect other parts of the game. Of course, cricket is more than just running. Over the years, there have been quite a few players who have been known via bowling. Most cricketers concentrate on either batting or bowling; however, a very few have been able to master both skills and have thus gained the title of all-rounders.

What Defines an All-Rounder in Cricket?

An all-rounder would be defined, in technical terms, as a cricketer who is sufficiently good at batting as well as bowling. In fact, he should be able to serve his team well at both ends. A real all-rounder can do this shift in duties from one minute to the next. The truth is that such a person is not very common because he would have to be highly skilled in both, needing long hours of practice and thorough understanding of the entire game. Power hitting and sharp swinging and spinning balls are among many such extraordinary abilities cricketers are good with in different aspects of the game.

Here’s a list of Top All-Rounders in Cricket History:

Sir Garfield Sobers

Widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, Sir Garfield Sobers played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. Initially starting as a bowler, he quickly developed into a powerful batter and an exceptional fielder. Sobers’ ability to dominate both aspects of the game made him an invaluable asset to his team. His aggressive batting style and mastery of various bowling techniques set him apart as a true cricketing legend.

Jacques Kallis

Arguably, Jacques Kallis is one of the greatest cricketers in history. He was an all-around cricketing behemoth from South Africa who is also famous as the only player in the world to score more than 10,000 runs and 250 wickets in Tests and ODIs. Batting would be right-handed along with efficient swing bowling. He has 12989 Test runs, 292 wickets, and 200 catches to his credit in his career. Further, he has achieved 45 Test centuries and records the highest with 23 Man of the Match awards in international cricket history.

Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev is a phenomenal Indian cricketer who is now hailed as the greatest all-rounder that ever existed in cricket. He was a fast-medium bowler, who had aggressive batting middle-order ability. Kapil Dev is the only player to have scored more than 5,000 runs and taken over 400 wickets in Tests. He is the only captain in the history of cricket who has led India to victory in the World Cup cricket of 1983. It was the first such victory under this Indian captain. He is very much remembered for his contributions to Indian cricket.

Ian Botham

Ian Botham was among the greatest all-rounders produced by English cricket. Botham played vital roles in Test and One-Day International (ODI) cricket. An excellent fast-medium bowler with a right arm, Botham produced extremely good swing. He was an aggressive, right-handed batsman, and his fielding, particularly in the slips, added to his worth. Botham became only the second player in Test cricket to record the “double” of 100 runs and 10 wickets in a match, in 1980.

Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya, a Sri Lankan cricketer, is considered one of the greatest all-rounders in ODI history. He was an explosive left-handed batter, a left-arm orthodox spinner, and a dynamic fielder. Alongside Romesh Kaluwitharana, he revolutionized limited-overs cricket in the mid-1990s with an aggressive batting style. Jayasuriya remains the only player to achieve the milestone of 10,000 runs and over 300 wickets in a single format of cricket. His contributions helped shape the modern style of ODI cricket.

FAQs

Who is the greatest all-rounder in cricket history?
Sir Garfield Sobers is widely recognized as the greatest all-rounder of all time due to his exceptional abilities in batting, bowling, and fielding. His all-around skill set made him one of the most complete players in cricket history.

Who are the best fielders in cricket history?
Some of the finest fielders in cricket history include:

Jonty Rhodes
Paul Collingwood
Ravindra Jadeja
Suresh Raina
AB de Villiers