5 greatest all-rounders of all time

#2 Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev was the hero to the new generation of cricketers

Kapil Dev's contribution to Indian cricket is truly immeasurable. He is best known for being the face of the new, powerful, resurgent Indian cricket. The heroics of his leadership, in guiding his heavily mismatched team to an unprecedented World Cup title in 1983, remains part of an epic rags-to-riches fairy tale - the memory of which is firmly etched in the minds of every Indian cricket fan of that generation.

In a time when his contemporaries were racking up big numbers on pace friendly tracks, Kapil Dev tirelessly toiled on the slow, spin-friendly pitches in India to take 434 wickets in his 131 Test career. No Indian pacer before that or since then has come close to matching Kapil's exploits. His incredible achievements with the bat include that memorable inning of 175, against Zimbabwe in the World Cup, when his team was down and about to be knocked out.

For his longevity, value to his team, and leadership, Kapil Dev remains India's greatest all-rounder and second on my list of the greatest all-rounders of all time.