Who is the best all rounder in the world? List of Best all rounders in the world with Career statistics and Best Performances

All-rounders are the magicians of cricket. They can bowl, bat, and field as amazingly well as any specialist. And it is a fact that oftentimes all-rounders are the match winners. So let’s learn about some of the best all-rounders in the history of cricket who blessed the game with their outstanding skills. We have a list of the top 10 best all-rounders of all time below. They are ranked as per their career statistics and contributions to the sport. Bowling and batting stats in both ODI and Test formats have been tabled for the top 10 best all-rounders in cricket. You can click on any player’s name, from the list below, and directly read his profile without having to scroll down.

Best All Rounder in the world

S. No.	Players	Team
1.	Garfield Sobers	West Indies
2.	Kapil Dev	India
3.	Jacques Kallis	South Africa
4.	Imran Khan	Pakistan
5.	Ian Botham	England
6.	Chris Cairns	New Zealand
7.	Shaun Pollock	South Africa
8.	Shane Watson	Australia
9.	Richie Benaud	Australia
10.	Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh

1. Best all rounder Garry Sobers

Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, better known as Garry Sobers, is the best all-rounder in the world. The former West Indies cricketer had a brilliant career from 1954 to 1974. A proficient bowler, astounding batsman, and extraordinary fielder – Sobers is the perfect example of a cricketing all-rounder. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Sobers for his services to cricket. A  Parliament Act in 1998 named Sobers as one of the ten National Heroes of Barbados.

Test Career: Sobers made his Test debut for the West Indies in 1954. He played as a bowler initially, however, his impressive batting skills helped him climb the batting order. Sobers scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan in 1958. He progressed to 365 not out and established a new record for the highest individual score in an innings.

Sobers was named captain of the West Indies in 1965. As he grew in stature, Sobers went on to captain a Rest of the World XI during their 1970 tour of England. In total, Sobers played 93 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, and taking 235 wickets at an average of 34.03.

The best all-rounder in cricket history has the fifth-highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of cricketers with more than 5,000 runs. Sobers was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

Garry Sobers Career Statistics – 1954-1974

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	93	160	21	8032	365*	57.78	–	–	26	30	–	–	109	0
ODI	1	1	0	0	0	0.00	6	0.00	0	0	0	0	1	0
FC	383	609	93	28314	365*	54.87	–	–	86	121	–	–	407	0
List A	95	92	21	2721	116*	38.32	–	–	1	18	–	–	41	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	93	159	21599	7999	235	6/73	8/80	34.03	2.22	91.9	8	6	0
ODI	1	1	63	31	1	1/31	1/31	31.00	2.95	63.0	0	0	0
FC	383	–	70789	28941	1043	9/49	–	27.74	2.45	67.8	–	36	1
List A	95	–	4387	2393	109	5/43	5/43	21.95	3.27	40.2	4	1	0

Garry Sobers Records & Achievements

• Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1964
• The Cricket Society Wetherall Award for the Leading All-Rounder in English First-Class Cricket: 1970
• Walter Lawrence Trophy winner: 1974
• Wisden Cricketer of the Century: 2000
• In 2000, Sobers was named by a 100-member panel of experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.
• In 2004, the International Cricket Council (ICC) inaugurated the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy which is awarded annually to the player selected by ICC as its Player of the Year.
• In 2007 Wisden retrospectively selected the Leading Cricketer in the World, Sobers being selected for eight years (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964–66, 1968 and 1970).
• To mark 150 years of the Cricketers’ Almanack, Wisden named him in an all-time Test World XI.

Garry Sobers Best Performance

2. Best Indian All-rounder Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj, fondly known as the Haryana Hurricane is the 2nd best all-rounder in the world. The former Indian cricketer was a fast-medium bowler and an exceptional middle-order batsman. Not only is he regarded as the best all-rounder of all time but also one of the best captains of all time. His commendable captaincy led India to win its first Cricket World Cup title in 1983. In 2002, Wisden named Kapil Dev the Indian Cricketer of the Century. 

Test Career: When Kapil Dev retired in 1994, he held the world record for the greatest number of wickets taken in Test cricket. The record was broken 6 years later by West Indies strike bowler Courtney Walsh. Kapil Dev is the only player in cricket history to have taken more than 400 wickets and scored more than 5000 runs in Tests. And that makes him one of the greatest all-rounders of all time. 

ODI Career: Kapil Dev made a mild debut against Pakistan in 1978. The format didn’t suit him perfectly until he was chosen captain of the Indian team. As regular captain, his first assignment was the tour of the West Indies. A single ODI victory – where Dev (72) and Gavaskar (90) led India to a huge score of 282/5 in 47 overs. And, Dev’s 2 wickets aided India to restrict West Indies for 255. This victory gave Indian cricketers the confidence to face the West Indies team in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, which they eventually won – creating a historic moment for the nation. Dev was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.

Kapil Dev Career Statistics – 1978-1994

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	131	227	27740	12867	434	9/83	11/146	29.64	2.78	63.9	17	23	2
ODI	225	221	11202	6945	253	5/43	5/43	27.45	3.71	44.2	3	1	0
FC	275	–	48853	22626	835	9/83	–	27.09	2.77	58.5	–	39	3
List A	310	–	14947	9161	335	5/43	5/43	27.34	3.67	44.6	3	2	0

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	6s	Ct	St
Test	131	184	15	5248	163	31.05	–	–	8	27	61	64	0
ODI	225	198	39	3783	175*	23.79	3979	95.07	1	14	–	71	0
FC	275	384	39	11356	193	32.91	–	–	18	56	–	192	0
List A	310	270	47	5481	175*	24.57	–	–	2	23	–	99	0

Kapil Dev Records & Achievements

• In early 1994, he became the highest Test wicket-taker in the world, breaking the record held by Sir Richard Hadlee.
• Only player to have achieved the all-rounder’s double of 4,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets
• 1979–80 – Arjuna Award
• 1982 – Padma Shri
• 1983 – Wisden Cricketer of the Year
• 1991 – Padma Bhushan
• 2002 – Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century
• 2010 – ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
• 2013 – The 25 Greatest Global Living Legends in India by NDTV
• 2013 – CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award
• 2019 – Bharat Gaurav Award

Kapil Dev Best Performance

3. Jacques Kallis

Jacques Henry Kallis, fondly known as the Woogie, is the 3rd best all-rounder in the world. The former South African cricketer is a right-handed batsman and bowled right-arm fast-medium swing. As of 2021, he remains the only cricketer in history to score over 10,000 runs and take more than 250 wickets, in both Test and ODI formats. He was named Leading Cricketer in the World in the 2008 Wisden. On 30 July 2014, Kallis retired from all forms of international cricket – marking the end of an epic era in South African cricket. 

Test Career: Kallis played over 160 Test matches and maintained a batting average of 55 runs per innings. He once made a mind-blowing record — scoring five centuries in four Test matches between October to December 2007. In January 2011, he surpassed former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, an all-time legendary batsman, to become the second-highest scorer of Test centuries. In a rare feat, Kallis ended his Test career, being only one of three ever, to average over 50 in batting and a bowling average crossing 20 or more. 

ODI Career: Described as the greatest cricketer of all time by cricketing pros such as Kevin Pieterson, Kallis left a remarkable legacy in ODI cricket as well. He made his ODI debut against England in 1996. Two years later, Kallis led his side to the ICC Champions Trophy title. Playing over 300 matches, he amassed over 11,000 runs and 273 wickets. After consistent best performances, he was included in the ICC World ODI XI. On July 30, 2014, Kallis retired from all formats of cricket. Post-six years, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in August 2020.

Jacques Kallis Career Statistics – 1995-2014

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	166	280	40	13289	224	55.37	28903	45.97	45	58	1488	97	200	0
ODI	328	314	53	11579	139	44.36	15885	72.89	17	86	911	137	131	0
T20I	25	23	4	666	73	35.05	558	119.35	0	5	56	20	7	0
FC	257	421	57	19695	224	54.10	–	–	62	97	–	–	264	0
List A	424	406	65	14845	155*	43.53	–	–	23	109	–	–	162	0
T20	176	171	28	4416	97*	30.88	3927	112.45	0	32	437	100	54	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	166	272	20232	9535	292	6/54	9/92	32.65	2.82	69.2	7	5	0
ODI	328	283	10750	8680	273	5/30	5/30	31.79	4.84	39.3	2	2	0
T20I	25	19	276	333	12	4/15	4/15	27.75	7.23	23.0	1	0	0
FC	257	–	29033	13532	427	6/54	–	31.69	2.79	67.9	–	8	0
List A	424	–	13673	10772	351	5/30	5/30	30.68	4.72	38.9	3	3	0
T20	176	150	2747	3482	114	4/15	4/15	30.54	7.60	24.0	2	0	0

Jacques Kallis Records & Achievements

• Test Batting: career-best 1st; career-high points 935.
• Test Bowling: career-best 6th; career-high points 742.
• Test All-rounders: career-best 1st; career-high points 616.
• ODI Batting: career-best 1st; career-high points 817.
• ODI Bowling: career-best 15th; career-high points 641.
• ODI All-rounders: career-best 1st; career-high points 506.
• 1st & only player in cricket history to achieve the mark of 10,000 runs in Tests & ODI each and more than 200 wickets in the Tests and ODIs each.
• He was also the first bowler to take a fifer in ICC Champions Trophy history.
• He was also the only bowler to take a 5 wicket haul in the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy (in the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy tournament).
• Kallis was also the first player to bag the Player of the final, as well as the Player of the Tournament awards in ICC Champions Trophy.
• He along with Graeme Smith set the record for the highest ever partnership for any wicket as debutants in T20 Internationals (84 for the 1st wicket).
• He holds the record for a most man of the matches in Test Cricket – 23.

Jaques Kallis Best Performance

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4. Imran Khan

The current Prime Minister of Pakistan was once the greatest all-rounder who astonished the cricketing world with both his batting and bowling. The sixth on the list of best all-rounders of all time is Imran Khan. At the peak of his career in the ’80s, Khan was named the Wisden Cricketer in the Year 1983. For his impeccable achievements, Khan received the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-highest civilian honor of Pakistan. And later on, he was also honored with the President’s Pride of Performance award. A cricketing legend in every aspect, he retired in 1992 after a long and glorious career where he built the Pakistan team as a force to be reckoned with. 

Test Career: In 1971, Khan made his debut at Edgbaston against England. In a short while, he grew to become a magnificent bowler — some argued him to be the fastest at the time. Nonetheless, Khan reached his level-best in 1982. In just 9 Test matches, he took 62 wickets at 13.29 each. It was the lowest average of any bowler in Test history. Although ICC Rankings didn’t exist with current standards, he had a Test bowling rating of 922 points, making him the third-best bowler of all time. Khan secured 3000 runs and 300 wickets and thus achieved the all-rounder’s triple in 75 Tests. This was a record – the second-fastest record behind Ian Botham’s 72. Around the same time, he attained the second-highest all-time batting average of 61.86 for a Test batsman playing at position 6 in the batting order.

ODI Career: In the ODI format, Khan reigned as a champ. In fact, Khan is the first and only captain to win the World Cup for Pakistan. In his career, Khan played 175 matches and scored over 3,500 runs at an average of 33.41. His career-best score was 102 not out. His best ODI bowling figures were 6 wickets for 14 runs. It was an uncanny record for the best bowling figures by any bowler in an ODI inning in a losing cause.

Imran Khan Career Statistics – 1971-1992

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	6s	Ct	St
Test	88	126	25	3807	136	37.69	–	–	6	18	55	28	0
ODI	175	151	40	3709	102*	33.41	5105	72.65	1	19	–	36	0
FC	382	582	99	17771	170	36.79	–	–	30	93	–	117	0
List A	425	384	80	10100	114*	33.22	–	–	5	66	–	84	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	88	142	19458	8258	362	8/58	14/116	22.81	2.54	53.7	17	23	6
ODI	175	153	7461	4844	182	6/14	6/14	26.61	3.89	40.9	3	1	0
FC	382	–	65224	28726	1287	8/34	–	22.32	2.64	50.6	–	70	13
List A	425	–	19122	11312	507	6/14	6/14	22.31	3.54	37.7	12	6	0

Imran Khan Records & Achievements

• Khan, Imran (1989). Imran Khan’s Cricket Skills. London: Golden Press in association with Hamlyn.
• In ODIs, he played 175 matches and scored 3709 runs at an average of 33.41.
• His highest score was 102 not out.
• His best ODI bowling was 6 wickets for 14 runs, a record for the best bowling figures by any bowler in an ODI innings in a losing cause.

Imran Khan Best Performance

5. Ian Botham

Featuring 7th on the list of top 10 all-rounders of all time is Ian Botham. Hailed as of the greatest all-rounders to ever play the sport, Botham showcased his top-notch batting and bowling skills, playing for England in both Test and ODI formats. Aggressive batting style and right-arm medium-fast swing bowling made Botham one of a kind in his team. He was an indispensable member of England playing XI and played over 100 matches in both formats. In 1978, Wisden named Botham ‘Cricketer of the Year’, describing him as — “a determined character who knows where he is aiming, and who will, quite naturally and fiercely, address himself to the interesting view that he is overrated.” To mark his legacy, The Richards–Botham Trophy is set to replace the Wisden Trophy for winners of the West Indies–England Test series. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

TEST Career: Botham had a remarkable Test career. He amassed fourteen centuries and from 1986 to 1988, held the world record for most Test wickets. Every cricket enthusiast loved watching Botham play, especially his bowling. After all, he had a way with taking wickets — he took 5-wicket hauls 27 times and 10-wicket hauls 4 times. In 1980, he achieved a rare feat in Test history. He became the “match double” of scoring 100 runs and taking 10 wickets in the same match. During England’s 1000th Test in August 2018, Botham was named the country’s greatest Test XI by the ECB. 

ODI Career: Botham’s Test successes did not translate well in the ODI format, where he posted a career-best of 79. Nonetheless, he performed consistently in three World Cups. Botham’s performance in the international tournament was notable as he twice supported his side to reach the finals. In the 1992 World Cup edition, Botham managed to achieve two ‘Man of the Match’ awards — a feat he did not achieve in the previous editions. Throughout this edition, Botham bowled at a superb economy below 4 and batted moderately. However, his performance couldn’t lead his team to raise the cup. 

Ian Botham Career Statistics – 1976-1992

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	102	161	6	5200	208	33.54	8565	60.71	14	22	621	67	120	0
ODI	116	106	15	2113	79	23.21	2671	79.10	0	9	197	44	36	0
FC	402	617	46	19399	228	33.97	–	–	38	97	–	–	354	0
List A	470	419	64	10474	175*	29.50	–	–	7	46	–	–	196	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	102	168	21815	10878	383	8/34	13/106	28.40	2.99	56.9	17	27	4
ODI	116	115	6271	4139	145	4/31	4/31	28.54	3.96	43.2	3	0	0
FC	402	–	63547	31902	1172	8/34	–	27.22	3.01	54.2	–	59	8
List A	470	–	22899	15264	612	5/27	5/27	24.94	3.99	37.4	15	3	0

Ian Botham Best Performance

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6. Chris Cairns

The fourth best all-rounder of all time is Christopher Lance Cairns, the former captain of the New Zealand cricket team. Born to a former New Zealand cricketer Lance Cairns, Chris always received the necessary exposure to the game. Rising through the domestic championships, Chris eventually found himself in the national team — in the role of an all-rounder. He bolstered his side with destructive batting and intelligent bowling. So much so, he became an integral part of the team and soon took the leadership position. In 2000, he was named as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year. The New Zealand Order of Merit was bestowed upon Chris for excellent contributions to the game.

Test Career: Cairns once held the world record for most sixes in Tests (87). His exemplary cricketing skills boosted the performance of Kiwis in every Test series they played. During a Test in Wellington in 2000, Cairns single-handedly knocked Shane Warne out of Australia’s bowling attack. However, injuries plagued Cairns throughout his career. He could only play 62 Tests and failed to reap the returns of his extraordinary all-rounder proficiency. 

ODI Career: Cairns proved why he deserves a spot among the best all-rounders in cricket history through his impressive ODI performances. For a time being, he held a New Zealand record for the fastest ODI century. Cairns picked over 200 wickets in a total of 215 ODI matches he played throughout his international career. His most notable performance came in the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy. Cairns scored 102 in the finals against India to win the first major ICC title for his side. Therefore, he finds a worthy mention on the list of cricket all-rounders who transformed the sport.

Chris Cairns Career Statistics – 1989-2006

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	62	104	5	3320	158	33.53	5815	57.09	5	22	365	87	14	0
ODI	215	193	25	4950	115	29.46	5874	84.26	4	26	345	153	66	0
T20I	2	2	0	3	2	1.50	13	23.07	0	0	0	0	1	0
FC	217	341	38	10702	158	35.32	–	–	13	71	–	–	78	0
List A	424	377	59	10367	143	32.60	–	–	9	55	–	–	118	0
T20	14	14	2	176	50	14.66	149	118.12	0	1	16	6	5	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	62	104	11698	6410	218	7/27	10/100	29.40	3.28	53.6	11	13	1
ODI	215	186	8168	6594	201	5/42	5/42	32.80	4.84	40.6	3	1	0
T20I	2	2	48	52	1	1/28	1/28	52.00	6.50	48.0	0	0	0
FC	217	–	34252	18322	647	8/47	–	28.31	3.20	52.9	–	30	6
List A	424	–	16620	12739	455	6/12	6/12	27.99	4.59	36.5	15	6	0
T20	14	5	108	126	5	2/24	2/24	25.20	7.00	21.6	0	0	0

Chris Cairns Best Performance

7. Shaun Pollock

A magnificent bowler, an exemplary batsman, a hustling captain — Shaun Pollock’s career has been one of the most underrated careers in the history of cricket. Pollock’s contribution to the sport was remarkable. When South Africa won a series against the West Indies in 2008, the then captain Graeme Smith paid tribute to Pollock, stating “It’s very important that people celebrate what he’s given to South African cricket.” Pollock retired after the series, leaving a legacy behind. In his thirteen-year-long career, Pollock ranked number 1 all-rounder both in Test and ODI formats of the game.

Test Career: As one of the top 10 all-rounders of all time, Pollock proved medium pace bowling could play magic when expected least. He had taken over 400 wickets in Test. In fact, he is only one of six players in cricket history to score over 3000 runs and take 300 wickets in the longest format of the game. Also, he once ranked number 1 with 909 points in Test bowling. 

ODI Career: Playing as a specialist batsman in the 2007 Africa XI v Asia XI, Pollock scored 130 from number 7 in the batting order. It was the highest ever score by an ODI batsman in that position. Such incredible records helped Pollock gain prominence among all-rounders. Not to mention, he is also the bowler to bowl the most number of maiden overs in ODI history — 313.

Shaun Pollock Career Statistics – 1995-2008

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	108	156	39	3781	111	32.31	7198	52.52	2	16	412	35	72	0
ODI	303	205	72	3519	130	26.45	4059	86.69	1	14	248	58	108	0
T20I	12	9	2	86	36*	12.28	70	122.85	0	0	4	4	2	0
FC	186	267	55	7023	150*	33.12	–	–	6	35	–	–	132	0
List A	435	297	91	5494	134*	26.66	–	–	3	24	–	–	153	0
T20	46	34	7	569	59	21.07	401	141.89	0	1	45	28	9	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	108	202	24353	9733	421	7/87	10/147	23.11	2.39	57.8	23	16	1
ODI	303	297	15712	9631	393	6/35	6/35	24.50	3.67	39.9	12	5	0
T20I	12	11	243	309	15	3/28	3/28	20.60	7.62	16.2	0	0	0
FC	186	–	39067	15508	667	7/33	–	23.25	2.38	58.5	–	22	2
List A	435	–	21588	13141	573	6/21	6/21	22.93	3.65	37.6	18	7	0
T20	46	43	937	996	45	3/12	3/12	22.13	6.37	20.8	0	0	0

Shaun Pollock Records & Achievements

• Shaun Pollock has the record for the most Test centuries while batting at number 9 or below (2).
• He also holds the record for playing the most ODI innings before scoring a century (189).
• Shaun Pollock also holds the record for becoming the first test captain to be stranded or to be remained unbeaten on 99 in a test innings.
• He too holds the record for taking the most ODI wickets when playing at home soil (193).
• Shaun Pollock holds the record for bowling most Maiden overs in ODI history (313).

Shaun Pollock Best Performance

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8. Shane Watson

Possibly the best all-rounder in recent times — Shane Watson. Ranking 8th among the best all-rounders in the world, Watson has left a legacy behind. His performances in the last two decades marked a global spark among young cricketers to eye the all-rounder role in the playing XI. Watson is considered the last player to retire from Australia’s golden era of the early 2000s. In a wonderful career spanning 14 years, Watson achieved what very few could. He remained the world No. 1 T20I all-rounder for 150 weeks, which included a record of 120 consecutive weeks. At the start of his career in 2002, Watson was named ‘Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year’. More achievements and awards followed this excellent start. He was honored with the Allan Border Medal in 2010 and named the Australian Player of the Year, the following year.

Test Career: Although Watson had a dormant Test career, playing only 59 matches, he managed to leave an impressive stint. With over 20 half-centuries and four centuries, Watson proved himself to be a worthy part of the Australian Test XI. He almost neared a double hundred but fell short of twenty-four runs. Watson’s best bowling performance came against Pakistan in 2010, where he took 6 wickets, conceding 33 runs in an innings.

ODI Career: Watson shone in the ODI format of the game. After all, he is the first Australian to take 150 wickets and score 5000 runs in the format. Once called the Master of Run-chase, Watson became the highest scoring Australian of the format. Add to that, he also holds the record for most sixes by an Australian in an ODI inning. His ODI career-best score came against Bangladesh in 2011 — 185* In the total of 190 ODI matches that Watson played, he amassed more than 5,500 runs at an average over 40 — sensational for an all-rounder! No wonder why Watson finds a spot amongst the top 10 all-rounders of all time. In fact, in this list of best cricket all-rounders of all time, Watson is the most successful T20 all-rounder.

Shane Watson Career Statistics – 2002-2016

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	59	109	3	3731	176	35.19	7094	52.59	4	24	483	31	45	0
ODI	190	169	27	5757	185*	40.54	6365	90.44	9	33	570	131	64	0
T20I	58	56	6	1462	124*	29.24	1006	145.32	1	10	115	83	20	0
FC	137	241	19	9451	203*	42.57	–	–	20	54	–	–	109	0
List A	265	241	36	7915	185*	38.60	9187	86.15	11	46	–	–	88	0
T20	343	335	34	8821	124*	29.30	6378	138.30	6	53	785	467	101	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	59	93	5495	2526	75	6/33	6/51	33.68	2.75	73.2	1	3	0
ODI	190	163	6466	5342	168	4/36	4/36	31.79	4.95	38.4	3	0	0
T20I	58	49	930	1187	48	4/15	4/15	24.72	7.65	19.3	1	0	0
FC	137	–	12164	6294	210	7/69	–	29.97	3.10	57.9	–	7	1
List A	265	–	8406	7063	213	4/36	4/36	33.15	5.04	39.4	3	0	0
T20	343	231	4429	5838	216	4/15	4/15	27.02	7.90	20.5	3	0	0

Shane Watson Records & Achievements

• Allan Border Medal: 2010, 2011
• Test Player of the Year: 2011
• Men’s ODI Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2012
• Men’s T20I Player of the Year: 2012, 2013, 2017
• Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: 2002
• In an ODI against Bangladesh in April 2011, Watson scored 185 runs off of 96 deliveries hitting 15 sixes (at the time the most of any ODI innings, and as of January 2023 still the 6th-most of any ODI innings) and scored 150 runs from boundaries alone (at the time the most of any ODI innings, and as of January 2023 still the 4th-most of any ODI innings).
• In a Test match against South Africa in November 2011, Watson took bowling figures of 5/17 from 5 overs. Taking a wicket every 6 balls, as of January 2023 this is the 8th-best bowling strike rate of any Test innings with 4 or more wickets taken.
• In a Twenty20 International against India in January 2016, Watson scored 124 runs from 71 deliveries. Australia ultimately lost this match by 7 wickets, and as of January 2023 this remains the highest score by a player in a losing side.
• At the time this was also the longest innings in a Twenty20 International by number of balls faced (as of January 2023 it is the 4th-longest).

Shane Watson Best Performance

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9. Richie Benaud

Richard Benaud, popularly known as Richie, was an Australian cricketer. But he was not a mere cricketer, but as described by several of his contemporaries — “a student of the game.” Richie arrived in the Australian team in 1952, during a decade of fall for the great cricketing team. Nonetheless, he embraced the game and when given the opportunity to lead, he took his side to new heights. Those were early days of cricketing but Richie was a maestro both with bat and ball. Later on, he became a splendid commentator as well. For his unparalleled contribution to the sport, he was honored with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1961. In 2007, he received the Allan Border Medal and in 2009, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. After he passed away, the Australian Mint issued a 50-cent coin commemorating Richie in 2017. 

Test Career: Richie blended leg-spin with low-order aggressive batting. In 1963, he became the first cricketer to reach 200 wickets and 2,000 runs in Test cricket. At the start of his career, Richie scored 100 runs against the West Indies in 78 minutes — the third-fastest Test century of all time (in terms of minutes at the crease, not balls faced) and the second-fastest by an Australian. As a captain, he played 28 Test matches, where he won 12, drew 11, tied 1, and lost 4 for his team. Richie ended his Test career with incredible statistics of 248 wickets (the Australia Test record at that time) at 27.03 and 2,201 runs at 24.45.

Richie Benaud Career Statistics – 1952-1964

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100s	50s	6s	Ct	St
Test	63	97	7	2201	122	24.45	3	9	8	65	0
FC	259	365	44	11719	187	36.50	23	61	–	254	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	63	116	19108	6704	248	7/72	11/105	27.03	2.10	77.0	16	16	1
FC	259	–	60481	23370	945	7/18	–	24.73	2.31	64.0	–	56	9

Richie Benaud Records & Achievements

• Early in his career, he hit 100 runs against the West Indies in 78 minutes, the third fastest Test century of all time (in terms of minutes at the crease, not balls faced) and the second fastest by an Australian.
• Benaud’s highest Test score of 122 was made against South Africa, Johannesburg, 1957–1958.
• His best Test bowling effort of 7 for 72 was against India, Madras, 1956–1957.
• He captained Australia in 28 Tests: 12 wins, 11 draws, 1 tie, 4 losses.
• In 1963 he became the first player to complete the Test double of 200 wickets and 2,000 runs.
• He was one of only 10 Australian cricketers to have scored more than 10,000 runs and taken more than 500 wickets in first-class cricket. 
• He ended his Test career in Sydney with statistics of 248 wickets (the Australia Test record at that time) at 27.03 and 2,201 runs at 24.45.

Richie Benaud Best Performance

10. Shakib Al Hasan

Nicknamed Moyna, Shakib Al Hasan is arguably the most famous and successful cricketer in Bangladesh’s history. Not only did Shakib revolutionized the role of all-rounders but also laid the foundation stone for his national side. Featuring in multiple tournaments all over the world, he brought pride and fame to his nation. Shakib’s aggressive batting style and slow-arm orthodox bowling made him a perfect fit in all sorts of teams. In 2015, Shakib became the first and only cricketer in history to be ranked the ‘No.1 all-rounder’ by ICC. Adding to his cricketing success is Shakib’s philanthropy aspirations. In 2020, he auctioned his 2019 ICC World Cup bat for COVID-19 relief. 

Test Career: Shakib made his debut against India in 2007. Although he didn’t have a good start, Shakib grew impressively successful in the years to follow. In 2008, he achieved the best bowling figures by a Bangladesh player in Tests — 7 wickets for 36 runs. Soon, he grew into a world cricketing star, matching records set by international all-rounders. Then, he became the fastest all-rounder to score 3000 runs and pick 200 wickets in 54 Test matches. In fact, he is the first Bangladeshi bowler to cross the 200-wicket mark. 

ODI Career: In the ODI format, Shakib did better than most of his international counterparts at the time. He debuted against Zimbabwe in 2006. And soon he became the fastest all-rounder to score 5000 ODI runs and take 250 ODI wickets. Amongst the top cadre of cricket all-rounders of the prominent teams appears Shakib Al Hasan. After all, he is currently the only all-rounder to be ranked in the top 3 of ICC Player Rankings across every format of international cricket.

Shakib Al Hasan Career Statistics – 2006-2023

Batting & Fielding

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	66	121	7	4454	217	39.07	7189	61.95	5	31	539	27	26	0
ODI	232	219	30	7132	134*	37.73	8628	82.66	9	53	652	46	55	0
T20I	115	114	15	2345	84	23.68	1918	122.26	0	12	238	49	26	0
FC	102	185	14	6369	217	37.24	–	–	8	41	–	–	49	0
List A	287	271	32	8523	134*	35.66	10040	84.89	9	62	772	73	80	0
T20	403	371	55	6779	89*	21.45	5449	124.40	0	29	628	188	97	0

Bowling

FORMAT	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Test	66	111	14775	7238	233	7/36	10/124	31.06	2.93	63.4	10	19	2
ODI	232	226	11789	8768	301	5/29	5/29	29.12	4.46	39.1	10	4	0
T20I	115	113	2493	2827	136	5/20	5/20	20.78	6.80	18.3	5	2	0
FC	102	–	20925	10013	333	7/32	–	30.06	2.87	62.8	12	24	2
List A	287	280	14245	10466	375	5/18	5/18	27.90	4.40	37.9	15	5	0
T20	403	396	8508	9658	451	6/6	6/6	21.41	6.81	18.8	10	5	0

Shakib Al Hasan Records & Achievements

• On 12 January 2015, Shakib became the first and only cricketer in history to be ranked the ‘No.1 all-rounder’ by ICC in its Player Rankings in all three formats of the game (Test, One Day International and T20 Internationals).
• Only all-rounder to 7000 runs and 300 wickets double across all formats in a single country (Bangladesh).
• Highest partnership record for any wicket for a Bangladeshi pair in ODIs, with Mahmadullah (224).
• Fastest^[h] and one of the fifth all-rounder to 3000 runs and 200 wickets double in Tests (54 matches).
• Fastest^[i] and one of the fifth all-rounder to 5000 runs and take 250 double in ODI (in 199 matches).
• Fastest and one of the third all-rounder to 4,000 runs and 300 wickets double in T20s (in 260 matches).
• Only all-rounder to have 100 wickets and 1,000 runs double in men’s T20Is.
• Fastest player to 3000 runs and 200 wicket double in Tests.
• Fastest and one of fourth all-rounder to 6000 runs and 250 wickets double in ODIs (202 matches).^[
• Fastest, youngest and the only seventh cricketer to 4,000 runs and 200 wickets double in ODIs (in 156 matches).
• First spin bowler, and third player overall to take more than 100 ODI wickets on a single ground (119 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium).
• Most wickets taken in Twenty20 cricket on a single ground (123 at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur).
• In August 2021, he became the first cricketer to take 100 wickets and score 1,000 runs in men’s T20Is.
• On 17 October 2021, in the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, against Scotland, taking his 108th dismissal, he became the leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, surpassing Lasith Malinga.
• On 24 October 2021, He become the leading wicket taker in T20 World Cups taking his 40th dismissal, he surpassed Shahid Afridi.
• In December 2021, in the 2nd test against Pakistan, he becomes the quickest allrounder, in terms of matches (59) to achieve the double of 4,000 runs and 200 wickets in test cricket.

Shakib Al Hasan Best Performance