- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Gary Sobers, Kapil Dev, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Jacques Kallis… Ravi Ashwin?
After taking another 12 wicket haul against England in the fourth Test in Mumbai, Ashwin continues to dominate on subcontinent pitches, while his record away from home remains underwhelming.
Based purely on his stats, it is fair to call Ashwin a genuine all-rounder.
His Test batting average of 34, with four centuries – all against the West Indies – is on the rise.
His bowling average of 24 puts him in rare company when you consider how many overs he bowls.
He is a relentless spinner who can tear through a top order in no time if the conditions suit his style of bowling.
The truth is that Ashwin has very little competition for the title of the best all-rounder in the modern game.
Many teams have moved on from the idea of having a genuine all-rounder, given how hard it is to be proficient at two skills in the modern game.
The ICC player rankings for Test all-rounders feature Shakib Al Hasan in second spot, which is fair, given how successful he has been for nearly a decade.
Ben Stokes is third and has the potential to succeed in both areas of the game. However, his bowling is often seen as just an added bonus, given how few overs he bowls.
The rest of the top ten offers little hope, with Rangana Herath somehow sneaking into tenth place.
After the spectacular failure of the Mitch Marsh experiment, there doesn’t seem to be many new all-rounders coming through to compete with that top three.
So Ashwin remains on top, for now.
Is he just another spinner who thrives in dry conditions?
Or will he go down as one of the great all-rounders of the modern era?
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.