An all-rounder in cricket is a player who is adept at batting as well as bowling. Nowadays, cricket is becoming the game of the all-rounders because of their stunning performances as both the ‘bowler’ and the ‘batsmen.’ There are many players in cricket who got recognition not specifically as batters or bowlers but as outstanding all-rounders in their teams. An all-rounder in any cricket team is like the lifeline of that team, who, as a savior, plays from both positions to make the team victorious. All-rounders are usually the most expensive players in the auctions of many cricket formats, such as the IPL and the Big Bash League. So, here are the top ten most talented all-rounders in cricket.
1. Sam Curran
Sam Curran, a young cricketer from the England team, plays as a left-handed all-rounder. Sam Curran has been seen in all cricket formats, showing his multitudinous talents as a cricketer, from Test, ODI, and T20 to IPL matches. Fans have seen Sam Curran’s outstanding batting performances and his extraordinary bowling. In the T20 World Cup 2022, Sam Curran has also won the award for “Player of the Tournament” for his fabulous bowling and batting performance throughout the series.
2. Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes is another brilliant all-rounder from England’s team, known for his smashing hits as a left-handed batsman and quick wickets as a right-armed fast bowler. The world saw Ben Stokes’ best performance as an all-rounder in the 2019 World Cup when he scored 84* runs and played in the super over to make his country win the World Cup for the first time in history. Ben Stokes has also transpired as one of the most expensive players in the IPL.
3. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the best all-rounders in the Indian cricket team. He never disappoints Indian fans with his jaw-dropping batting and bowling performances. Ravindra Jadeja, in an ODI match between India and England at Kochi, showed his best all-rounder skills by scoring 61 runs in just 37 balls in the first innings and taking two crucial wickets, giving only 12 runs in the second innings. As a result, his performance helped India beat England by 127 runs.
4. Shakib Al Hasan
Though the world may not remember the names of all Bangladesh cricketers, Shakib Al Hasan is a name that every cricket fan knows and admires. Shakib has scored over 14220 international runs and taken over 681 wickets for the Bangladesh team. No matter which format it is, Shakib has always given his best in bowling and batting, maintaining his ICC first ranking in ODI as an all-rounder for a significant time and even till today. He has shown incredible abilities as a finisher, a wicket-taking spinner, and an all-time best fielder.
5. Rashid Khan
Today, the cricket team of Afghanistan has respectable and admirable recognition in international cricket because of the astonishing performance of their all-rounder, Rashid Khan. In 2018, Rashid Khan became the youngest cricketer to top the ICC ranking as a bowler in ODI format. In the 2023 IPL season, he surprised everyone with one of his best batting performances as vice-captain of the Gujrat Titans team, scoring 79 runs in just 32 balls against the Mumbai Indians.
6. Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is now among the best all-rounders in international cricket because of his unmatchable performances as a fast bowler and a batsman. Not only in international cricket but also in domestic series, such as the IPL, Hardik has shown his magical all-rounder skills, breaking all previously made records. In the 2022 season of the IPL, Hardik Pandya, as the captain of the Gujrat Titans, took three crucial wickets of the Rajasthan Royals and scored 40 runs in 34 balls to give his team a big win in the playoffs.
7. Marcus Stoinis
Marcus Stoinis counts as one of the most prominent all-rounders in the Australian cricket team for his smashing batting and fast bowling. In the 2020 edition of the IPL, the world saw Stoinis in his best form as an all-rounder as he played a winning knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad from his team, the Delhi Capitals. In this match, he scored 38 runs in 27 balls and took three crucial wickets, giving only 26 runs. The world also saw his record-breaking batting performance against New Zealand when he scored 146 runs in 117 balls, the second-highest record made by a player playing at no. seven position.
8. Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali is known in international cricket for his consistent and efficient all-rounder performances as a stunning wicket-taking spinner, an omnipresent fielder, and a fine finisher. His IPL journey also reflects his brilliant abilities as an all-rounder, as in a match against the Delhi Capitals, he shocked everyone with figures 3/13. In a game against the Rajasthan Royals in the same IPL season of 2022, he played a match-winning knock of 93 runs in just 57 balls.
9. Mohammed Nabi
Another name famous from the Afghanistan team after Rashid Khan is Mohammed Nabi, a right-handed batsman and right-armed off-break bowler. His performance has helped the Afghanistan team rise in international cricket status. He is the second player to get the most ‘Player of the Match’ awards in the T20 internationals. He holds the second ICC ranking in ODI as an all-rounder with a rating of 302 after Bangladeshi player Shakib Al Hasan.
10. Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell has shined in world cricket as one of the best all-rounders and one of the most expensive players in the IPL auctions. In a match against Chennai Super Kings in the 2014 IPL season, Maxwell has a record of hitting 95 runs in just 43 balls, which gave Kings XI Punjab a four-wicket victory over CSK in a 206-run chase. He gave his best bowling performance in a Sheild game against South Australia, where he surprised everyone with the figures 4/42.
