Today we discuss and rank the best all rounders in the sport of cricket in our top 10 best all rounder of all time list. Read on…
If “Avengers” is made to have any reference in Cricket then it has to be all-rounders. With many weapons in their armour, they can uplift the team’s performance in more than one way.
They have been ascertained to be crucial since the emergence of this game.
No team can have all 11 players who can do everything on the field. There are barely 2,3 all-rounders who could establish themselves for a long haul in a single generation at the world stage. This is why all-rounders have been incredibly valuable to the game of cricket.
An all-rounder is a saviour of a team who can win you matches at any point of the game. If you pick up a memorable event from the history of cricket, you would easily find that the winning team is never short of an all-rounder.
No one can simply underrate that type of player who could fill and cover at least 3 players of a team. This is why we decided to uncover some of the best all rounder of all time.
The Top 10 Best All Rounder of all Time
Here’s our list of the top 10 best all rounder of all time:
| S.N | Player | Career | Runs | Wickets |
| 1. | Jacques Kallis | 1995-2014 | 25534 | 577 |
| 2. | Kapil Dev | 1978-94 | 9031 | 687 |
| 3. | Iam Botham | 1976-1992 | 7313 | 528 |
| 4. | Ben Stokes | 2011- | 7944 | 256 |
| 5. | Andrew Flintoff | 1998-2008 | 7315 | 400 |
| 6. | Yuvraj Singh | 2003-2017 | 11778 | 148 |
| 7. | Shakib Al Hasan | 2006- | 12251 | 594 |
| 8. | Shaun Pollock | 1995-2008 | 7386 | 829 |
| 9. | Ravindra Jadeja | 2008- | 4716 | 449 |
| 10. | Shane Watson | 2006-2016 | 10950 | 291 |
10. Shane Watson
Kicking of our list of the best all rounder of all time is none other than the Aussie, Shane Watson. A spacious walk and a pair of vulture-like eyes were some attributes that were associated with Shane Watson. He was the one who had a rare combination of calmness and aggression.
A wide smile in any situation of the game was the jewellery that he wore for years. He was one of the most explosive top-order assets.
Watson debuted against South Africa in an ODI in 2002 when the mighty Australian team was not short of match winners. 3 years later, he got a Test cap in 2005 against Pakistan. He had a lot of struggles with injuries.
| Name | Shane Watson |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 59/190/58 |
| Career | 2006-2016 |
| Runs in ODI | 5757 |
| Runs in Tests | 3731 |
| Runs in T20 | 1462 |
| Total Runs | 10950 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 35.2/40.54/29.24 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 52.59/90.45/145.33 |
| Wickets in ODI | 168 |
| Wickets in Tests | 75 |
| Wickets in T20 | 48 |
| Total Wickets | 291 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.76/4.96/7.66 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 33.68/31.8/24.73 |
His best with the bat came against Bangladesh in the 2011 World Cup where he smashed 185 runs including 15 sixes and an equal number of fours. His best figures in Tests came against Pakistan in 2010 where he took 6 wickets for 33 runs in an innings.
With the emergence of T20 cricket, Shane Watson became Aussie’s mainstay. His best in T20 came with the bat where he made 124 runs in a 71 ball knock against India in 2016.
For Australia, he played the role of the biggest asset during his reign. He retired in 2016 from all forms of cricket with plenty of runs and wickets under his belt, making him one of the best all rounder of 21st century.
9. Ravindra Jadeja
At present, you must be lying if you say that Sir Ravindra Jadeja isn’t the best. His presence of mind as well as his sense of humour and representation is beyond anyone’s limit.
His trademark moustaches and some groovy beard combined with his awesome skills of the game can make anyone go crazy.
Ravindra Jadeja made his debut against Sri Lanka in an ODI in 2009. He played an important role in India’s Champion Trophy victory. He was a bits and pieces player for some time but he is an ever-improving cricketer since 2014 when he made match-saving 66 not out in 45 balls against New Zealand.
| Name | Ravindra Jadeja |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 55/168/50 |
| Career | 2008- |
| Runs in ODI | 2411 |
| Runs in Tests | 2088 |
| Runs in T20 | 217 |
| Total Runs | 4716 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 34.80/32.58/15.5 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 60.19/87.07/112.44 |
| Wickets in ODI | 188 |
| Wickets in Tests | 222 |
| Wickets in T20 | 39 |
| Total Wickets | 449 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.44/4.93/7.1 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 24.96/37.36/29.54 |
He has been the second-best spinner in Tests for India. Jadeja’s best with bowl came against England in the 2016 5th Test where he took a total of 10 wickets in the match.
Jadeja’s iconic knock came against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup where he single-handedly fought with his 77 runs in 59 runs that included 4 sky-high sixes and 4 fours. India lost the match but he played an innings for the ages.
Currently, he is the best fielder in World cricket. His fitness is second to none. He has a lot of days in cricket to play for India and that is an added benefit for the team.
8. Shaun Pollock
In terms of consistency as an all-rounder, Shaun Pollock was second to none. One of the best all rounder of all time in cricket history, he was raised in a cricketing household. He was one of the most elegant and accurate bowlers of all time. At the same time, he was a fierce and explosive player that took South Africa to heights.
Shaun Pollock played his first Test match against England in 1995 and first ODI in 1996 against the same opponent. His best with the ball came against Australia in the 1998 Adelaide Test where he took 7 wickets for 87 runs in a single inning that resulted in a draw.
| Name | Shaun Pollock |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 108/303/12 |
| Career | 1995-2008 |
| Runs in ODI | 3519 |
| Runs in Tests | 3781 |
| Runs in T20 | 86 |
| Total Runs | 7386 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 32.32/26.46/12.29 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 52.53/86.7/122.86 |
| Wickets in ODI | 393 |
| Wickets in Tests | 421 |
| Wickets in T20 | 15 |
| Total Wickets | 829 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.4/3.68/7.63 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 23.12/24.51/20.6 |
6 wickets for 33 runs in a lost contest against West Indies in 1999 was his best in ODIs. He made over 3000 runs in Tests with an average of 32.32 which is quite remarkable for an all-rounder.
He took 421 Test wickets and 393 ODI wickets which is quite remarkable for a bowler. He did not finish his career like a great but eventually, he was one of the greatest all-rounders.
7. Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan plays for one of the most underrated cricketing nations. He has a big role in the upliftment of Bangladesh in the game.
Most of the time, the whole team revolves around this one guy. He has a mixture of a calm-looking face and assertive behaviour. But no one can question his capabilities.
Shakib made his debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2006. A year later, he was handed a Test cap. His best with the bowl came in Tests against Zimbabwe where he rattled them with 5 wicket hauls in both innings.
| Name | Shakib Al Hasan |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 58/215/84 |
| Career | 2006- |
| Runs in ODI | 6600 |
| Runs in Tests | 3933 |
| Runs in T20 | 1718 |
| Total Runs | 12251 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 39.33/37.71/23.53 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 61.66/82.14/122.63 |
| Wickets in ODI | 277 |
| Wickets in Tests | 215 |
| Wickets in T20 | 102 |
| Total Wickets | 594 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.99/4.45/6.8 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 31.06/29.44/20.63 |
His iconic 217 against New Zealand in Wellington Test 2017 made a way to fans’ hearts. His dream run came in the 2019 World Cup where he made 606 runs with an average of above 86.
He genuinely carried Bangladesh batting on his lone shoulders in the tournament. In 2021, he faced a two-year ban under anti-corruption laws that seemed to be his downfall. But later, he made a comeback and was willing to perform for the nation.
He still has a lot of cricket left in him but he needs to do some adjustments in his behaviour. Nonetheless, he would go on to be a great player in the history of cricket.
6. Yuvraj Singh
Raised by a strict father, Yuvraj Singh inculcated a natural-looking disciplined aura around him since childhood. A tall, good looking and fiercely fit Yuvraj was a prodigy who was made for cricket.
His attacking approach that was not usual in his time, was something that benefitted the Indian team the most. One of the best all rounder of all time in ODI, Yuvraj’s sacrifices have significantly put Indian cricket on top.
Yuvraj played a stunning knock of 84 runs off 80 balls in his debut ODI innings against Australia in 2000. His magical moment came in the 2007 World Cup when he smashed 6 sixes in a single over off Stuart Broad against England.
| Name | Yuvraj Singh |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 40/304/58 |
| Career | 2003-2017 |
| Runs in ODI | 8701 |
| Runs in Tests | 1900 |
| Runs in T20 | 1177 |
| Total Runs | 11778 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 33.93/36.56/28.02 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 57.98/87.68/136.38 |
| Wickets in ODI | 111 |
| Wickets in Tests | 9 |
| Wickets in T20 | 28 |
| Total Wickets | 148 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 3.53/5.1/7.06 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 60.78/38.68/17.82 |
In the 2011 World Cup, he emerged as the greatest hero with both bat and ball, as India won its second ODI WC trophy. He was the man of the tournament in both of India’s trophy-winning campaigns in 2007 and 2011.
His nightmare came just after the 2011 World Cup when he was diagnosed with cancer. But he made a near-impossible comeback to the Indian team, though he could not keep his good run for long and was dropped from the team in 2017.
He announced retirement in 2019 but before that he helped India clinch its greatest glory that was long-awaited before him. It wouldn’t have been possible without his life-at-stake performances.
5. Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff did not strike as a productive asset when he began his international career. His sphere was full of ups and downs and some controversies but we can not deny the fact that he was one of the best all-rounders that ever existed.
His numbers do not show the fierceness that he used to bring to the field.Flintoff made his Test debut against South Africa in 1998.
| Name | Andrew Flintoff |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 79/141/7 |
| Career | 1998-2008 |
| Runs in ODI | 3394 |
| Runs in Tests | 3845 |
| Runs in T20 | 76 |
| Total Runs | 7315 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 31.78/32.02/12.67 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 62.05/88.82/126.67 |
| Wickets in ODI | 169 |
| Wickets in Tests | 226 |
| Wickets in T20 | 5 |
| Total Wickets | 400 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.97/4.4/6.44 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 32.79/24.38/32.2 |
A year later, he played his first ODI against Pakistan. His highest test score with the bat came against West Indies in 2004, 2nd Test where he scored 167 in just 191 balls whacking 7 sixes. His peak came in the 2005 Ashes series in which he made 402 runs with a strike rate of 74.17.
In the same series, he was the second-highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets in 5 matches. After a year, he took over the captaincy of England on his shoulders. But in the 2006-07 Ashes, he led England to their worst misery with England losing the series by 0-5 to Australia.
He retired in 2008 amidst some controversies. He made his impact for a very short period but undoubtedly he was one of the best English all-rounders and one of the best all rounder of all time.
4. Ben Stokes
No one could ever believe what Ben Stokes has done or can do if he would not exist for himself. Probably, he is the most effective and capable all-rounders of all time. Never-say-die attitude is in his every bit of blood. He is one of those players who are born to play this game.
Ben Stokes made his debut against Ireland in 2011. He was seen as a potential all-rounder for England from the beginning of his career.
His best with the bat came against South Africa in the 2016 Test at Cape Town where he smashed his maiden double hundred, 258 runs in just 198 balls swatting the likes of Morne Morkel, Rabada. He hit 11 sixes in that knock.
| Name | Ben Stokes |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 71/101/34 |
| Career | 2011- |
| Runs in ODI | 2871 |
| Runs in Tests | 4631 |
| Runs in T20 | 442 |
| Total Runs | 7944 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 37.05/40.44/20.09 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 58.13/95.35/136.84 |
| Wickets in ODI | 74 |
| Wickets in Tests | 163 |
| Wickets in T20 | 19 |
| Total Wickets | 256 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 3.31/6.03/8.78 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 31.39/41.59/37.74 |
With the ball, he rattled Windies in a 2017 Test match with his career-best 6 wickets for 22 runs. His greatest knock came in the most significant match, the final of the 2019 World Cup where he pulled off a heist with gritty 84 runs in 98 deliveries pushing one of the incredible contests into a tie.
Eventually, England won the super over to clinch their first World trophy.He is 30 currently and has all of the attributes that could put England on top of the cliff. We do not know how would his career end in future but he has established himself as the greatest all-rounder of this era.
3. Ian Botham
Ian Botham was the most identified personality of his time. No one could ever match his abilities and techniques with the bat and bowl both.
He was a complete class player who could win matches single-handedly, and he did several times. His commitment was enough to take a rollover against the opposition.
Ian Botham made his debut against Australia in 1977. He took 5 wickets on his very first day in Cricket that led England to a historic win. He hit a career-best 208 runs in an innings against India in 1982. He was a master with the bowl too.
| Name | Ian Botham |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 102/116/- |
| Career | 1976-1992 |
| Runs in ODI | 2113 |
| Runs in Tests | 5200 |
| Runs in T20 | – |
| Total Runs | 7313 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 33.55/23.22/- |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 60.71/79.11/- |
| Wickets in ODI | 145 |
| Wickets in Tests | 383 |
| Wickets in T20 | – |
| Total Wickets | 528 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 3.06/4.01/- |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 28.4/28.54/- |
His accuracy in line and length with fine swing put him on the top for years. In 1978, he rattled Pakistan with his 8 wickets for just 34 runs in an innings and later finished the match with a total of 13 wickets taking a five-wicket haul in both innings.
He took 383 Test wickets from just 102 matches which show his dominance throughout his career. He retired in 1992. He was truly one of the greatest all-rounders to play ever.
2. Kapil Dev
One of the best all rounder of India, there aren’t exact words in any kind of dictionary that can describe the aura of Kapil Dev. He was the most selfless and committed act that ever came to witness. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Kapil Dev remained way ahead of his time throughout his career.
He debuted against Pakistan in 1978. From the beginning of his career, he was a genuine all-rounder. His glories began when he took over Sunil Gavaskar as India captain in 1983.
In the same year, he led a considerable hopeless Indian team to the nation’s glorious moment in the history of cricket by winning the first World Cup ever.
| Name | Kapil Dev |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 131/225/- |
| Career | 1978-94 |
| Runs in ODI | 3783 |
| Runs in Tests | 5248 |
| Runs in T20 | – |
| Total Runs | 9031 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 31.05/23.79/- |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 94.76/95.07/- |
| Wickets in ODI | 253 |
| Wickets in Tests | 434 |
| Wickets in T20 | – |
| Total Wickets | 687 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.78/3.72/- |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 63.92/44.28/- |
His 175 runs against Zimbabwe in which he solely pulled out India’s sinking ship, was the best knock of his career. He was a legendary bowler too, in both formats.
Kapil Dev said goodbye to cricket in 1994 with 434 Test and 253 ODI wickets. He made over 5000 runs in tests. He will always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket, putting him on the 2nd spot for the best all rounder of all time.
1. Jacques Kallis
Topping our list is Jacques Kallis, the best all rounder of all time. It was said that “Jacques Kallis was not made for cricket, but cricket was made for him”. He was the only player with the most significant numbers under his cricket profile.
He was a prolific batsman and equally substantial bowler who could destroy the opponent with his sole skills and grit.He made his debut against England in 1995. He was an ever-rising cricketer.
He played a crucial role in the only ICC trophy victory for South Africa ever in 1998. In that tournament, Kallis scored 113 runs off 100 balls including 5 sixes. In the final, he rattled West Indies by seizing 5 wicked for 30 runs in 7.5 overs leading the team to a historic win.
| Name | Jacques Kallis |
| Matches (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 166/328/25 |
| Career | 1995-2014 |
| Runs in ODI | 11579 |
| Runs in Tests | 13289 |
| Runs in T20 | 666 |
| Total Runs | 25534 |
| Average (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 55.37/44.36/35.05 |
| Strike Rate (Tests/Odi/T20i) | 45.98/72.89/119.35 |
| Wickets in ODI | 273 |
| Wickets in Tests | 292 |
| Wickets in T20 | 12 |
| Total Wickets | 577 |
| Economy (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 2.83/4.84/7.24 |
| Average (Tests/ODI/T20I) | 32.65/31.79/27.75 |
He was a monster player in Tests too. He made over 10,000 runs and took more than 250 wickets in both formats. He made an exalting 45 centuries in Tests including 2 double centuries and 17 tons in ODIs.
His bowling economy remained less than 5 in ODIs which shows how commanding he was. He made his retirement in 2014 and hit a hundred in his last Test. I doubt if we will ever have this kind of all-rounder in the future of Cricket.
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Conclusion: The Top 10 Best All Rounder of all Time
So, these were the best all-rounder of all time according to us. Cricket is so blessed to have the services of these players. There have been many underrated all-rounders that could be added to this list if it was to extend. Honourable mentions: Daniel Vettori, JP Duminy, Ravi Bopara, and Marcus Stoinis. Hope you enjoyed reading our list of the best allrounder of all time!
Did we miss out on your favorite all rounder of all time? Let us know by commenting down below!