Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2017: Top 5 ODI all-rounders of the year

Cricket might be a game of specialists, but a player who can dabble in more than one aspect of the art is worth his weight in gold. Players capable of holding their own with the willow, or with the ball, aren't anywhere near as hard to find as ones who are exceptional at both.

ln ODIs, where you need to be a virtuoso in order to sparkle, all-rounders are the order of the day. In 2017, there were plenty of all-rounders who were exceptional with both the willow and the ball. Take a look at five of the best:

#5 Kedar Jadhav

The inclusion of Kedar Jadhav on this list will come as a surprise to many, but he definitely deserves his spot, having scored more runs and taken more wickets than the likes of England's Moeen Ali, Bangladesh's Shakib-al-Hasan, and New Zealand's Mitchell Santner, among others.

It was truly a sensational year for the 32-year-old. Batting at number 6 for most of the season, Jadhav was given the responsibility of going hammer and tongs at the bowling during the death and the right-hander didn't disappoint, compiling 561 runs in 18 innings at an average of over 40.

What was most impressive about his performances though was the rate at which he scored his runs: 111.08 runs per 100 balls.

His stellar contributions didn't end there though. With the ball, he performed the role of the sixth bowler to perfection. In the 15 innings he bowled, he completed his quota of 10 overs only once and scalped 10 wickets at an average of 40.9 and an economy of 4.46.

#4 Mohammad Nabi

Nabi contributed with both bat and ball in what was a stellar 2017

Amidst all the negativity surrounding the nation of Afghanistan, their cricket team have offered a small ray of hope. In the doldrums just a couple of years ago, Afghanistan have endured a meteoric rise in international cricket and that can be attributed to the performances a few of their superstars, including veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.

Nabi has been one of their most consistent performers across both formats of the game and his array of skills has made him one of the most sought-after players in T20 leagues the world over. He is pretty handy in ODIs as well.

In 2017, he ended up with 21 wickets in 122 overs across 15 games, at an average of 25.33 and an economy rate of 4.35, picking up best figures of 4/35 on the way.

Nabi is no mug with the long handle either, having amassed 287 runs in 14 innings at an average of 24 and a strike-rate of 83.13 whilst batting at number 6.

#3 Jason Holder

Holder took 23 wickets in 2017

From the shambolic ruins that are West Indies' cricket team, Jason Holder has somehow emerged unscathed. The skipper of the team, Holder has been Windies' premier bowler for a while in Tests and ODIs, and 2017 witnessed him have his best year with the ball.

In the 168 overs he bowled this year across 20 matches, Holder took 23 wickets at an average of 38.73 and an economy rate of 5.3. The highlight of his year was the 5/27 he took against India, helping his team overcome a strong Virat Kohli-led side, their most memorable win across formats in 2017.

Holder wielded his bat to telling effect as well, scoring 410 runs in 18 innings at an average of 26 and a strike-rate close to 100, with the help of two fifties.

Despite his impressive showings, the Windies suffered 19 defeats from the 22 matches they featured in, not a fact the captain would like to have on his report card.

#2 Ben Stokes

Stokes was in devastating touch with the bat

Ben Stokes was coasting through a dream 2017 and riding the wave of a successful IPL when he was rudely brought back down to earth by the allure of alcohol and violence. A stint of boxing he partook in outside a Bristol bar resulted in his omission from England's Ashes squad and his absence has been felt by the Poms.

The all-rounder is a vital cog in England's scheme of things in all formats of the game and played a key role in Eoin Morgan and co. ending the year as the best ODI team, with a win % of 75.

Swinging his bat like one would an axe, the belligerent left-hander scored 616 runs in just 13 innings at a stunning average of 61.60 and a strike-rate of 107, mindblowing numbers in this format of the game.

With the cherry in hand, the right-arm pacer accounted for 14 wickets at an average of 39 and an unusually high economy of 6.48, the only reason why he didn't get the top spot.

#1 Hardik Pandya

Pandya has cemented his spot in India's limited-overs sides courtesy some sensational knocks

Over the last couple of decades, the Indian fans have longed to see an all-rounder capable of winning matches for the team with both bat and ball; someone in the mould of Kapil Dev. The emergence of Hardik Pandya has fulfiled their wishes and the 24-year-old has consistently performed ever since his debut.

2017 saw him scale greater heights. With the bat, Hardik looked a lot more mature than he did in 2016, compiling 557 runs (59 fewer than Ben Stokes) in 19 innings at an average of 35 and a strike-rate of 120.56, the best among players with at least 450 runs. His 76 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final and 83 against Australia at Chennai showed what a precocious talent he is with the bat.

There is also the small matter of him finishing 2017 as the joint fifth highest wicket-taker, with 31 wickets from 27 innings at an average of 35.51 and an economy rate of 5.51.

With more than twice the number of wickets as Stokes, a better average, and a better economy rate, Pandya sits atop the list.