Top 5 all-rounders in international cricket currently

The game of cricket has come a long way since its inception. While the contest has always been dubbed as one between the bat and the ball, it has uncomfortably proceeded towards being tilted in favour of batsmen recently.

The balance between bat and ball is one that qualifies to be an eternal debate among cricket enthusiasts. However, that is not something we are going to indulge ourselves in this article. Rather, we would delve into the breed of players who have made a living performing well simultaneously in the two essential suits of the game: batting and bowling.

Over the years, all the great teams have had an all-rounder capable of making a difference with either the willow or with the ball. Garry Sobers did it for the great West Indian team whereas Jacques Kallis was a prominent figure as South Africa dominated the cricketing landscape in the late 2000s.

With the advent of T20 cricket and the evolution of ODIs, the all-rounders have assumed greater importance. Hence, in today’s day and age, it is warranted that we cast a glimpse around the globe and take a look at the best all-rounders plying their trade in international cricket.

The selections have been made taking into account all three formats while also looking primarily at players representing their country. Thus, the likes of Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo have been ignored.

Without further ado, here are the best all-rounders in international cricket:

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#5 Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

The young leg-spinner from Nangarhar is a surprising inclusion on this list yet those who have followed his meteoric rise would agree that his place is warranted.

Rashid shot to stardom with his bamboozling brand of leg-spin. Blessed with the ability to turn the ball both ways, his googly is as hard to pick as any and this has helped him bag truckloads of wickets in the T20 format. With him succeeding so often in the cash-rich T20 leagues, many wondered if he could replicate it in the 50-over format.

The leg-spinner answered those critics emphatically as he led Afghanistan to a place in the 2019 World Cup. While his bowling has never been in question, it is his batting that has come by leaps and bounds

In the recently concluded Asia Cup, he played a couple of useful cameos. Cameos which helped Afghanistan scale the ‘250’ peak with increasing regularity. Rashid has shown the ability and the temperament to be a difference-maker with the bat but to be truly considered in the pantheon of the lead all-rounders, he will need to come up with such performances time and again.

Though he seems to have all the ingredients to be the ace all-rounder, it would be too far-fetched to believe that he is already there. Thus, he rounds off our top 5 and makes it at No.5.

#4 Hardik Pandya (India)

Pandya has grabbed the all-rounder spot with both hands

The enigmatic all-rounder from Baroda has quickly established himself as an ever-present in the Indian set-up. Pandya made his debut in Australia in 2016 and has gone from strength to strength since.

For time immemorial, India had been on the look-out for a pace bowling all-rounder. Numerous names such as Stuart Binny, Rishi Dhawan, Irfan Pathan and Abhishek Nayar were tried but to no avail. However, in Pandya, they found a player capable of bowling briskly while also providing belligerence down the batting order.

Despite being looked at as a limited-overs option in the nascent stage of his career, the all-rounder quickly captured everyone’s imagination to enter the Test arena as well.

Pandya possess the precocious talent and hence, an argument could be made that he hasn’t yet lived up to his potential. A Test batting average of 31 and an ODI batting average of 29 doesn’t set the world ablaze while his bowling average of 40 in ODIs leaves a lot to be desired.

On pure talent, Pandya would easily qualify as one of the top two or three all-rounders in the game. However, due to his inconsistent performances, he can only muster the No.4 spot on our list.

#3 Ravindra Jadeja (India)

Jadeja is finally realising his vast potential

Ravindra Jadeja has been the cause of optimism on many an occasion but he has also contrived to be the source of frustration on occasions. After becoming the only player to notch up three triple centuries in the Ranji Trophy, he seemed destined to be the lower-order mainstay for India.

However, he could not replicate his domestic batting prowess internationally in the early part of his career. It has been only recently that Jadeja has been providing value with his batting in ODIs and Tests. In the Test series against West Indies, Jadeja got his first international hundred at Rajkot.

The batting pedigree shown by the left-handed batsmen surely cast him as a batting all-rounder. Yet, the fact that he shot to prominence on the international stage courtesy his bowling is a testament to his astronomical abilities.

At this juncture, Jadeja represents one of India’s most potent match-winner in Test match cricket. A bowling average of 23.50 in Test cricket is not something to be laughed at.

In ODIs, he has endured a slightly rockier patch. After the emergence of Chahal and Kuldeep, he found himself on the fringes yet made a stellar comeback this season and now looks primed to play a major role in India’s quest for a 3rd World Cup triumph.

Jadeja would’ve been higher on the list had he been able to translate his domestic batting form to the international circuit. Though the signs are promising, it is too early to earmark him as the best all-rounder in the world.

Hence, he takes the No.3 spot on our list.

#2 Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

Shakib has been a mainstay for Bangladesh

Over the years, Shakib has often been considered as the best all-rounder on the planet and for good reason. Bangladesh have become a cricketing force recently and it is in major part due to Shakib’s consistent displays.

Shakib is an established batsman and is capable of batting in the top-order as well as in the middle-order. Additionally, he plays spin and pace equally well which makes him a vital commodity in the batting line-up. Moreover, his ability to come up with the big shots and finish off innings has made him a much-vaunted player in various T20 leagues.

On the bowling front, Shakib is as wily a left-arm spinner as any. Though he doesn’t turn the ball a great deal, he is blessed with the ability to deceive the batsmen in the air. He is an absolute menace on sub-continental tracks and has won Bangladesh its fair share of matches with the ball.

Shakib has had a chequered career so far and one would hope he can lead Bangladesh to a strong showing in England in the World Cup. Though his abilities might have diminished a little, he is still one of the best all-rounders in the world. Thus, he takes the runner-up spot on our list.

#1 Ben Stokes (England)

Stokes has always performed when it mattered most

The undisputed best all-rounder in the world is none other than the mercurial Englishman, Ben Stokes. While he has been involved in numerous controversies off the field, there is absolutely no doubt that he is one of the most talented cricketers on the pitch.

The most adept of all-rounders boast of the ability to make the team as a specialist bowler or a specialist batsman. On many an occasion, Stokes has proved that he can lend solidity to the batting while also being a game-changer with the ball. Hence, it comes as no surprise that he is one of the most valuable cricketers around.

With the bat, Stokes averages in the mid-30s in both formats. While the numbers may not paint a very pretty picture, it is the timing of his performances that have catapulted him as the premier all-rounder. Stokes’ best batting display came against South Africa when England were precariously placed at 223-5 in Cape Town. The Englishman smashed a whirlwind 258 to knock the wind out of the Proteas’ sails.

In the recently held Test series against India, he turned a game on its head with the ball at Birmingham. Kohli looked destined to take India to a famous victory yet Stokes neutralised his threat with a fiery spell.

These instances show that Stokes has what it takes to influence the game with either suit. He would walk into most teams as a specialist batsman or bowler. Thus, his ability to conjure magic with both makes him invaluable.

Thus, it is no surprise that the top spot on our list goes to Ben Stokes.