Best All-Rounder in Cricket History? Top 10 MVPs of the Game

Lately, have you wondered who is the finest all-rounder in the world in cricket history? We have the answers for you! 

Read More: IPL 2024: Where & How to Watch Every Match Live

In the extravagant theatre of cricket, where everyone frequently talks about batsmen and bowlers, there exists a unique breed – the all-rounder. They are the pulse of the sport who can bowl and bat and continuously prove to be architects of triumphs. But do you know these cricketing professionals? The forthcoming guide will help. 

Sit tight as we uncover a list of the finest all-rounders in cricket history! 

Leading 10 Finest All-Rounders in Cricket History 

We compiled a list of the finest all-rounders in the history of cricket by looking at how well they bowled and batted during their careers. We selected players who are retired but are still thought of as the greatest ever. We also included present players who are making a major impact in the game. This ensures all worthy candidates make the list. 

Check in: 1 to 100 Jersey Number of the Indian Cricket Players

Our list honors both former icons and today’s stars who excel in both bowling average and batting average. Following are 10 world’s finest all-rounder in the history of cricket. 

Players	Matches Played	Highest Score	Runs Scored	Wickets	100s	50s	Best Bowling
Sir Garfield Sobers	94	365*	8032	236	26	30	6/73
Ravindra Jadeja	328	175*	6017	546	3	32	7/42
Kapil Dev	356	175*	9031	687	9	41	9/83
Jacques Kallis	495	224	24868	565	62	144	6/54
Shane Watson	307	185*	10590	291	14	67	6/33
Shakib Al Hasan	430	217	14406	690	14	99	7/36
Imran Khan	263	136	7516	544	7	37	8/58
Ben Stokes	259	258	10362	297	18	56	8/161
Sir Richard Hadlee	201	151*	4875	589	2	19	9/52
Mohammad Nabi	265	136	5232	249	2	21	4/10

10. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) 

At the 10th position, we have the current world number 1 all-rounder in the ICC ODI rankings, Mohammad Nabi. He’s a right-arm off-spinner who is already closing in on his 250 international wickets. Besides bowling, Nabi is also a professional batter. As of 2024 March, he has 2 centuries under his belt. Moreover, his greatest score of 136 presents his batting prowess. As an Afghani cricket player, there is no doubt that he has contributed greatly to his team’s growth with both bat and ball. 

9. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 

Hadlee is broadly considered the finest all-rounder in the world cricket history. His extraordinary bowling skills merged with handly batting, left a permanent mark on New Zealand cricket. Throughout his career, he delivered a couple of match-winning performances that included an undefeated 150 and a bowling figure of 9/52 in the test fixture. 

8. Ben Stokes (England) 

In the context of modern-day cricket, Ben Stokes has to be the finest all-rounder in the universe of cricket history. He’s a hard hitter of the ball and has an aggressive batting fashion. His ability to turn matches alone makes him a prominent player. Remember the latest Ashes series where he assisted in winning a test match while he was batting with a number 11? Several such tales across formats explain him being one of the finest. 

7. Imran Khan (Pakistan) 

The prior Pakistan prime minister and captain of the national cricket team is one of the finest all-rounders to have ever played the game in the late 90s. While famous for his deadly bowling, Imran is still one of the scarce bowling all-rounders who has managed to score 7000 runs in less than 300 international appearances. Among his cricketing services, one compulsorily has to mention the leadership skills that were critical in Pakistan’s World Cup triumph in 1992. 

6. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

Bangladesh’s pride, Al Hasa, is a left-arm spin all-rounder. His consistent addition with both ball and bat has heightened Bangladesh’s cricket on the international stage. With more than 14000 runs and closing in on 700 wickets, his numbers speak columns for his caliber. 

Fun fact – Shakib Al Hasan is one of the scarce players to have ranked as the finest all-rounder in all 3 formats of cricket. 

5. Shane Watson (Australia) 

Watson’s reputation as the finest all-rounder even in the history of cricket comes from his excellent performances while his powerful hitting assisted the Aussies in winning numerous matches, the seam bowling made him a critical asset particularly while defending targets. Watson was one of the scarce 3-format cricketers. He was a clutch player and a simple match-winner for teams across various leagues. 

4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 

A South African cricket legend, Kallis was a force to reckon with. His batting prowess battled greats such as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, while his decent-fast bowling was equally potent. During his career, he scored close to 25000 runs and etched upwards of 600 wickets. He is, to date, one of the most decorated all-rounders that the cricket game has ever given birth to. 

3. Kapil Dev (India) 

Kapil Dev, the finest Indian all-rounder in cricketing history, carved his name in glory during the 1983 World Cup. His volatile batting and critical wickets stay legendary in all formats of the sport. For several years, he was recognized for a match-saving ODI innings against Zimbabwe. Later on, he proceeded to add runs and wickets to his achievement tally. 

2. Ravindra Jadeja (India) 

An Indian bowling all-rounder, Jadeja is among the leading 5 finest all-rounder in cricketing history. He is a modern marvel who adds value to the team in several ways. Be it taking wickets in crises or adding depth to India’s lineup as a left-handed batter. What’s more, his agility on the field is an added advantage. On the whole, he is an all-round cricketer. 

1. Sir Garfield Sobers (West Indies) 

At the first position, we have the West Indies veteran, Sir Garfield Sobers. Frequently regarded as the finest all-rounder in cricketing history, Sobers was the sole player in the West Indies team to have scored a test triple-century and taken more than 200 wickets. His excellent skills spanned bowling, captaincy, batting and fielding. Sobers was adaptable and was frequently referred to as a 5-in-1 cricketer. 

10 Best All-Rounders in the ODI Cricket History 

ODI matches in modern times have revolutionized, and the call for a significant balance depth in bowling and batting is more than ever. Every team requires a player who can assist in posting major totals and limit competitors one way or the other in the middle overs. That’s exactly what all-rounders gravitate to do. 

Below are the 10 all-time finest all-rounders in ODI cricket. They are ranked depending on the ICC rankings, which are again based on the performances they delivered during the peak of their careers. 

Players	Matches Played	Highest Score	Runs Scored	Wickets	100s	50s	Best Bowling
Kapil Dev	225	175*	3783	253	1	14	5/43
Greg Chappell	74	138*	2331	72	3	14	5/15
Andrew Flintoff	141	123	3394	169	3	18	5/19
Viv Richards	187	189*	6721	118	11	45	6/41
Lance Klusener	171	103*	3576	192	2	19	6/49
Chris Gayle	301	215	10480	167	25	54	5/46
Jacques Kallis	329	139	11579	273	17	86	5/30
Steve Waugh	325	120*	7569	195	3	45	4/33
Shaun Pollock	303	130	3519	393	1	14	6/35
Imran Khan	175	102*	3709	182	1	19	6/14

10 Finest All-Rounders in Test Cricket History 

Test cricket is a marathon that sustains brilliance from its players. In this demanding format, a true all-rounder is nothing less than an irrepressible asset. Be it with the ball or with the bat the versatility of all-rounders is renowned to offer a critical edge during the 5-day contest. 

The existence of a firm all-rounder can be the distinction between a decent team and an excellent one. If you’re a true follower of the sport, you can remember so many occurrences when an all-rounder has taken his team past the concluding line. 

In the test format, the following are the 10 finest all-rounders in cricket history ever: 

Players	Matches Played	Highest Score	Runs Scored	Wickets	100s	50s	Best Bowling
Garry Sobers	93	365*	8032	235	26	30	6/73
Sir Ian Botham	102	208	5200	383	14	22	8/34
Jacques Kallis	166	224	13289	292	45	58	6/54
Keith Miller	55	147	2598	170	7	13	7/60
Richie Benaud	63	122	2201	248	3	9	7/72
Imran Khan	88	136	3807	362	6	18	8/58
Tony Greig	58	148	3599	141	8	20	8/86
Andrew Flintoff	79	167	3845	226	5	26	5/58
Andrey Faulkner	25	204	1754	82	4	8	7/84
Chris Cairns	62	158	3320	218	5	22	7/27

10 World Finest All-Rounders in T20Is Cricket History 

While test matches check the temperament of the player, T20 cricket is all about the prompt impact. The real all-rounders of this format are those who can score runs in an instant and shatter critical partnerships out of nowhere. Over the years, there have been several of them. 

The following are the 10 best all-rounders in T20 cricket history: 

Players	Matches Played	Highest Score	Runs Scored	Wickets	100s	50s	Best Bowling
Shane Watson	58	124*	1462	48	1	10	4/15
Shahid Afridi	99	54*	1416	98	0	4	4/11
Shakib Al Hasan	117	84	2382	140	0	12	5/20
Glenn Maxwell	106	145*	2468		5	10	3/10
Yuvraj Singh	58	77*	1177	29	0	8	3/17
Sanath Jayasuriya	111	114*	2317	77	1	12	4/24
Mohammed Nabi	109	89	1885	87	0	5	4/10
David Hussey	39	88*	756	19	0	3	3/25
Marlon Samuels	67	89*	1611	22	0	10	3/23
Chris Gayle	79	117	1899	20	2	14	2/15

Concluding Words on the World’s Finest All-Rounders in Cricket History 

That concludes our guide on the leading 10 best all-rounder in cricket history. If you’ve read it until this point, you already know about the legends of the game who have had a notable career at the international level with both the ball and the bat. 

These all-rounder rankings are an excellent tool to know about the players and the sport. More critically, you can bet on cricket in a better way. Make your Winbaji account today and forecast the result of any match in a breeze. You can also download the app to place bets right from your sofa. 

FAQs

1. Who is the finest all-rounder in cricket history? 

• Jacques Kallis is the all-time finest all-rounder in cricketing history. Although he hasn’t played a lot of T20s, his performances with both the ball and the bat in ODI and test cricket have been flawless. 

2. Who is the finest all-rounder in Test cricket history? 

• Garfield Sobers, also known as Garry Sobers, is the best all-rounder in the history of test match cricket. During his career, he sustained a batting average of 57.78. 

3. Who is the finest all-rounder in ODI cricket history? 

• When it comes to ODIs, Kapil Dev of the Indian team is the finest all-rounder in cricket history. He is one of those excellent all-rounders who scored a century and took 5 wickets. 

4. Who is the finest all-rounder in T20 cricket history? 

• In T20 international cricket, Shane Watson of the Australian team is broadly considered as one of the finest all-rounders of all time. 

5. Who is the finest all-rounder captain in cricketing history? 

• India’s Kapil Dev is considered the best all-rounder captain in the history of cricket. As far as today’s modern era of the game is regarded, the present English test captain Ben Stokes is regarded as the finest in this regard.