All Rounders in Cricket have been one of the most important players in a team. These are the players that can bat well and bowl well. They are almost like 2 different players combined into one. Test Cricket has seen some of the best all rounders play the format over 150 years.
Let’s look at the Top 10 Greatest All Rounders of all time in Test Cricket
1) Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis is without a doubt the greatest all rounder to have ever played Test Cricket. His numbers are simply extraordinary. He played 166 Test Matches for South Africa in his career. He scored 13289 runs at a very good average of 55.37. Kallis hit 45 hundreds which is the Second most in the history of Test Cricket. He also hit 2 double hundreds. As a fast bowler he took 292 Wickets in Test Cricket with 5 Five Wicket Hauls. Kallis is the only cricketer ever to score over 13,000 runs and take more than 290 wickets.
2) Sir Garfield Sobers
Before there was a player called Jacques Kallis, Sir Garfield Sobers was the greatest all rounder to have ever played Test Cricket. He was the original all rounder that all the younger players idolized and he was one of the best ever West Indies cricket ever seen. He played 93 Test Matches for West Indies. He made 8032 runs at a very good average of 57.78. He hit 26 hundreds, 2 double hundreds and a triple hundred in Test Cricket. He took 235 wickets for West Indies and he took 6 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He is one of the greatest of all time.
3) Kapil Dev
At number 3 is the legendary Kapil Dev from India. Kapil Dev is easily the greatest all rounder that Indian cricket has ever seen. He played 131 Test Matches for India. In those Matches he scored 5248 runs where he hit 8 hundreds in Test Cricket. He took a mammoth 434 Wickets in Test Cricket which was a record at a point of time. He has taken 23 Five Wicket Hauls and 2 times he has taken 10 Wickets in a Test Match. Kapil Dev is one of the rarest few who have made over 5000 runs and taken over 430 Wickets. His legacy will be unmatched. There has never been a fast bowling all rounder for India who could reach half of his level.
4) Ian Botham
Sir Ian Botham is number 4 in this all time list. He is one of the two greatest all rounders that England Test Cricket has seen. He played 102 Test Matches for England. He made 5200 runs. Ian Botham hit 14 hundreds in Test Cricket and a double hundred as well. Sir Ian Botham took 383 Wickets as a fast bowler. He took 27 Five Wicket Hauls and 4 times he took 10 Wickets in a Test Match. Ben Stokes has carried forward the legacy of Ian Botham very well in modern cricket. Sir Ian Botham will be one ud the Top 5 Best cricketers that England has ever seen in Test Cricket.
5) Richard Hadlee
The greatest all round cricketer to ever have played for New Zealand is Sir Richard Hadlee. He was the one who revolutionized Test Cricket in the country. He has played 86 Test Matches for New Zealand. He scored 3124 runs in which he hit 2 centuries. Sir Richard Hadlee was one of the best fast bowlers of all time. He took 431 Wickets at an average of 22.30. He took 36 Five Wicket Hauls and 9 times he took 10 Wickets in a Test Match. He was the one who inspired the young New Zealand cricketers.
6) Imran Khan
The last man of the quartet of the greatest all rounders of all time Imran Khan is at number 6 in this list. He is without a doubt the greatest cricketer that Pakistan has ever seen. He played 88 Test Matches for Pakistan. In those matches he made 3807 runs. He hit 6 hundreds in Test Cricket. Imran Khan is one of the bowlers that Pakistan has seen. He took 362 Wickets. Imran Khan took 23 Five Wicket Hauls and 6 times he took 10 Wickets in a Test Match. He was the talisman of the Pakistan cricket team.
7) Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin is the best modern day all rounder and he should get more credit for it. He is a player who recently retired. He played 106 Test Matches in his career. He scored 3503 runs and he hit 6 hundreds in Test Cricket. Ravichandran Ashwin is the second highest wicket taker for India in Test Cricket. He took 537 Wickets where he took 37 Five Wicket Hauls and 8 times he has taken 10 Wickets in a Test Match. He is one of the main reasons that India has become one of the best teams in Test Cricket in recent history.
8) Ben Stokes
He is the only active player in this list and his legend continues to grow. Ben Stokes is the captain of England. He has so far played 115 Test Matches for England. In those Matches he has scored 7032 runs. Ben Stokes has hit 14 hundreds and 1 double hundred in Test Cricket. He has taken 230 wickets so far as a medium fast bowler. He has taken 5 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. Ben Stokes will play for a few more years and he will look to finish with close to 9000 runs and more than 300 wickets.
9) Shaun Pollock
The second all rounder from South Africa Shaun Pollock is at number 9 in this list. He is the bowler who has been excellent. He played 108 Test Matches for South Africa. He made 3781 runs in which he hit 2 hundreds in Test Cricket. Shaun Pollock remains one of the best fast bowlers to ever play Test Cricket. He took 421 Wickets in which he took 16 Five Wicket Hauls and 1 time he has taken 10 Wickets in a Test Match. He and Jacques Kallis played on the same team for a number of years.
10) Shakib Al Hasan
At number 10 is the Bangladeshi all rounder Shakib Al Hasan. He will probably be the only player that will be in all the 3 lists for all rounders. He has played 71 Test Matches for Bangladesh. He made 4609 runs in which he hit 5 hundreds and a double hundred in Test Cricket. Shakib Al Hasan took 246 Wickets in Test Cricket. He took 19 Five Wicket Hauls and 2 times he took 10 Wickets in a Test Match. Shakib Al Hasan has been banned from playing international cricket. He will be the greatest Bangladeshi cricketer to play cricket.
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