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Genuine all-rounders. This is a term which is becoming more and more endangered in cricket as the years are passing.
These days, terms such as batting all-rounder and bowling all-rounder are gradually developing, but when is one known as a genuine all-rounder in cricketing terms?
Probably the last of this kind was Jacques Kallis – the Gary Sobers of our generation as tweeted by Indian batting maestro Rahul Dravid. Well, let’s not come to Sobers as he played in the early 20th century and we do not have a lot of information on the batsmen and bowlers of those days.
Let’s move towards Kallis’ stats. A batting average of 55 in Tests and 44 in ODIs and a bowling average of 33 in Tests and 32 in ODIs means he is one of the greatest all-rounders cricket has ever produced.
He is the only man to score more than 10,000 runs, take more than 250 wickets and 100 catches in the two longer formats of the game. If you believe that stats don’t tell everything then let me tell you he is in the class of Sir Don Bradman, Mohammad Yousuf and Gautam Gambhir as was the only other batsman to score centuries in five consecutive Tests.
Kallis was also recognised as the ICC Test Player and ICC Player of the Year in 2005 and Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in 2007. The greats Kevin Pietersen and Daryll Cullinan have described him as ‘the greatest cricketer to play the game’.
His trademark cover drive over the top and glance towards square leg are some of his greatest shots.
Early in his career, Kallis scored 101 against Australia and claimed five wickets for just 30 runs against the West Indies. Both performances were match-savers and fixed his position in the South African team with a nail. He even maintains a lovely batting average of 35 in T20s and a decent economy of 7.23. Simply what we call a legend of his time.
All-rounders in Test cricket
Now, let’s come to other all-rounders. What are the requirements for being a genuine all-rounder in Test cricket? A healthy average with the bat as well as a not-so-big average while bowling.
Of course, maintaining both these simultaneously takes its toll on the body, but all-rounders are seriously needed in Test cricket. In fact, they are needed in Tests more than T20s and ODIs. Now let us look at the players the ICC has capped as their best Test all-rounders.
Shakib Al Hasan
At the top of the table is the Bangladeshi Shakib Al Hasan. Al Hasan, whenever he would retire, would probably be remembered as a legend of Bangladeshi cricket. He has the ability to fill the big shoes of Kallis or Sobers. However, due to his not-so-famous team in which he plays, Shakib does not get enough chances to prove himself.
What I like about him is whatever chance he gets, he takes full advantage. Shakib has played just four Tests and scored a mammoth 336 runs at an impressive average of 48. Remarkable by any standards, especially as he bats pretty much lower down the order. He registered a ton against against Zimbabwe eight days back at Khulna.
However, that innings was not remembered as it was against a team placed even lower than Bangladesh. Shakib has 26 wickets, including four five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul also against Zimbabwe. Though most of his achievements this year have come against weaker sides, I am sure that he is capable of excellent performances even against the greatest of the game like the Proteas or the Aussies and that puts him in my list of the genuine all-rounders in the longest format.
Ravichandran Ashwin
After Al Hasan, you spot Ravichandran Ashwin in the list. This sounds weird. How can an off-spinner like Ashwin ever become an all-rounder? The ICC has made a terrible decision. I know that he has scored two tons in Tests but one or two match-saving innings does not put him in the list of a pure all-rounder.
How many wickets has Ashwin taken in this calendar year. Not even 10! This proves that he has not even been able to prove his class while bowling, the area in which he specialises. Batting, as we know, is not what Ashwin is meant for and thus he has only been able to score less than 250 runs in 2014.
The ICC has shown that its decision makers do not use their brains. I would not even keep Ashwin in the top 20 all-rounders in Test cricket of today.
Vernon Philander
Next up is the South African Vernon Philander. Even he has not managed to achieve the 250-run milestone this year. But unlike Ashwin, the right-arm medium-fast pacer has got to the 10-wicket milestone this year playing six Tests. Underdog, but still fine.
‘Pro’ has got some real mercy from the ICC. He is sixth in the Test bowling rankings (above Ashwin who is 12th), which is all very good. But being in the list of the top five all-rounders is honestly strange.
I seriously do appreciate the ICC’s decision to keep one of the greatest all-rounders to ever play the game Al Hasan at the top but at the same time I’m truly surprised to see Ashwin and Philander in the list. Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson are better options.
All-rounders in ODI cricket
The role of all-rounders in ODIs is pretty simple. You get to bat around 30 to 40 balls and bowl around five to six overs. With the bat, you must have a strike rate above 120 and with the ball your strike rate should be at least below 25, the economy does not matter as such.
So who is at the top of the ODI all-rounders table?
Mohammad Hafeez
Hafeez has not proven himself with the bat, as he did not even get 280-odd runs. I can’t really say how well did he bat, but his stats say he did not live up to our expectations.
You might ask about his off-spin? Well, I’m afraid that he has not even got 10 wickets! Couldn’t ICC find a single genuine all-rounder in their player pool? Has the art of the all-rounder been absolutely demolished?
Angelo Mathews
Mathews was not an A-grade player before this calendar year. In fact, many people did not even know his name as he last played in the IPL for the not-so-famous Pune Warriors India. Mathews absolutely deserves his place though, I’m surprised he is not placed right at the top.
He is the highest run-getter in ODIs this year with 923 runs playing 25 matches at a Brobdingnagian average of 61.53 and a decent strike rate of 88.92. Though he has no centuries this year, Mathews has absolutely proven his class by registering eight half-centuries.
Well, if that’s not enough let me tell you that the Sri Lankan captain has 13 wickets in his scalp at a decent economy rate of 4.74. Practically, I don’t know whether Mathews will be able to hold this consistency over the years as he was not in the limelight before 2014. Maybe his fall may come as fast as his rise.
But I hope that this does not happen as I believe that Mathews has the potential to do well and if not Mathews, then who would stand as an idol to the next generation of cricketers who really aspire to become a genuine all-rounder?
Shakib Al Hasan
Has he come in again? I’m afraid, yes. Next to Mathews you see another true all-rounder whose name I’ve already mentioned above. Like in Tests, Shakib has not got enough opportunities as he plays for a rather not-at-all notable Bangladeshi team. But he still proves himself in all of them.
With bowling just 52.5 overs in a mere seven matches, Shakib has taken 10 wickets at a brilliant economy rate of 4.10. However, he has not done anything worth mentioning as far as his batting is concerned.
All-rounders in T20 cricket
In T20 internationals, the role of all-rounders is almost same as in ODIs. You get to bowl 18 balls and get to bat 20 balls. That’s it.
So who comes in with the goods?
Mohammad Hafeez
Hafeez once again comes in top in the relianct ICC Top 10 Twenty20 all-rounders rankings. What is wrong with them? Why can’t they make a simple decision?
Hafeez, a man who has not even picked five wickets and neither has he scored 110-odd runs, is placed at the top? If anyone of the ICC members’ panel is reading my article, I suggest him to stop reading, as he may get embarrassed, angry and disappointed.
Hafeez absolutely does not deserve a spot in the top five all-rounder rankings in any of the limited-overs. Other Pakistanis are better. Why Hafeez? Hopefully the ICC member is reading and changes the list.
Shakib Al Hasan
Well, once again Al Hasan comes in. Shakib has got chances in T20s and used them fruitfully. Playing nine innings, Shakib has scored 224 runs, with a strike rate of 134.13 and average of 32.00, including a half century.
With the ball Shakib has shone with 11 wickets, bowling 31.1 overs, with an economy of 5.71, simply unbelievable. No more words, as Shakib has already proven his rank with his spot in the list of the top five all-rounder rankings in all the three forms of cricket.
Shane Watson
Time for a new name. Unfortunately, Watson has not been worth watching this year but we all know that he is capable of proving himself as a perfect all-rounder, at least in T20s. However, stats do not suggest his class this year as Watson, with the bat, has played in eight innings and scored 126 runs at a mere strike rate of 109.
Surprisingly, he has no 50s to his name. Neither has he done anything remarkable with he ball. If Shane Watson wants to keep his position firm in the top five he really needs to improve given his poor run of form this year.
Hence, we can conclude that there is a potential in the young guys to become even better than Jacques Kallis. But as I said, these days competition for a spot in the national team are so high, that even the slightest injury can keep you off-field for a month or so.
But man, in order to better yourself as an all-rounder, you have to take all these risks. After all, an all-rounder is the hero of the team and the heroes always need to risk their body in order to set an example for others.
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