Greatest test cricket all-rounders

1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)

With the usual caveat about statistics not giving the whole story, here are the career test stats for the players you've mentioned (plus one other - personally I think you've got the wrong Pollock on the list!)

(Tests - runs - batting average - wickets - bowling average)

Kapil Dev 131 - 5258 - 31.1 - 434 - 29.6
Ian Botham 102 - 5200 - 33.5 - 383 - 28.4
Imran Khan 88 - 3807 - 37.7 - 362 - 22.8
Gary Sobers 93 - 8032 - 57.8 - 235 - 34.0
Richard Hadlee 86 - 3124 - 27.2 - 431 - 22.3
Jacques Kallis 102 - 8033 - 55.8 - 200 - 31.7
Andrew Flintoff 64 - 3183 - 32.5 - 193 - 31.4
Wasim Akram 104 - 2898 - 22.6 - 414 - 23.6
Graeme Pollock 23 - 2256 - 61.0 - 4 - 51.0
Sanath Jayasuriya 106 - 6760 - 40.7 - 96 - 34.1
Shaun Pollock 102 - 3515 - 32.0 - 296 - 23.4

The 'usual' consensus seems to go for Gary Sobers, and you can certainly make a good case for that. What surprised me a bit is quite how good Kallis' figures look.

What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?

"Cricket could learn a lot from baseball" Don Bradman

Originally posted by Red Night
What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?

Originally posted by Red Night
What about Sir Donald Bradman, the "Babe Ruth of Cricket"?

"Cricket could learn a lot from baseball" Don Bradman

Originally posted by trevor33
all rounders bat and bowl, bradman just batted. (probably)

Actually I thought Kallis might be higher - he's top quality especially with the bat. What makes him better is that I'm pretty sure his figures are right up there in OD games too.

Originally posted by SALADIN
1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)

Kallis is class. Hell, that guy has fallen in and out of favour with me so many times, I've lost count.
He just keeps coming back.

When he's on song, he is awesome - he anchors the innings, takes a few wickets with his out-swingers and takes some great catches in the slips.


Shaun Pollock must be rated as the top all rounder at the moment. He's almost 'over the hill'. Lost some pace, but is still painfully accurate and he's batting is pretty damn good now...

It's hard to take that list seriously, it doesn't have Sobers 1st.

Originally posted by SALADIN
1. KAPIL DEV (IND)
2. IAN BOTHAM (ENG)
3. IMRAN KHAN (PAK)
4. GARY SOBERS (WI)
5.RICHARD HADLEE (NZ)
6. JACQUES KALLIS (SA)-still playing
7. FREDDY FLINTOFF (ENG)- still playing so may move up the list
8. WASIM AKRAM (PAK)
9. GRAHAM POLLACK (SA)
10. SANATH JAYASURIYA (SL)

Originally posted by mtthw
With the usual caveat about statistics not giving the whole story, here are the career test stats for the players you've mentioned (plus one other - personally I think you've got the wrong Pollock on the list!)

There is possibly two great all rounders missing ,they are Keith Miller and Richie Benaud.

You might have to wonder about a bloke called Shane Warne if going on stats is the issue ,although he probably does not fit the all rounder catergory.

Keith Miller should certainly be in the top 5 though.

Imran Khan's stats are pretty amazing.
Ave.

Originally posted by boarman
There is possibly two great all rounders missing ,they are Keith Miller and Richie Benaud.