Allrounder in Cricket
What an allrounder is in cricket, the different types of allrounders, their value to team balance, and the greatest allrounders in cricket history.
What Is an Allrounder in Cricket?
An allrounder is a cricketer who contributes meaningfully both with the bat and with the ball. Having genuine allrounders allows a team to fit seven specialist batters and seven specialist bowlers into a side of eleven — giving the captain greater tactical flexibility.
Types of Allrounders
| Type | Primary Skill | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Batting allrounder | Primarily a batter who also bowls | Ricky Ponting (part-time), Steve Waugh |
| Bowling allrounder | Primarily a bowler who can bat | Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram |
| True allrounder | Elite level in both batting and bowling | Garfield Sobers, Jacques Kallis, Ben Stokes |
Allrounder ICC Rankings
The ICC ranks allrounders separately from batters and bowlers in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The allrounder ranking uses a combined formula incorporating both batting and bowling ratings. A player must reach minimum thresholds in both disciplines to qualify for the allrounder rankings.
Value of Allrounders
- Provides a 6th bowling option when a specialist bowler is injured
- Bats at 6 or 7 and can recover from middle-order collapses
- Reduces pressure on specialist batters by adding another capable bat
- Creates selection flexibility — allows picking an extra specialist if needed
Greatest Allrounders
Garfield Sobers (West Indies), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Ian Botham (England), Kapil Dev (India), Imran Khan (Pakistan), and Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) are universally considered among the all-time greats. Ben Stokes (England) and Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) are the leading contemporary allrounders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a batting allrounder and a bowling allrounder?
A batting allrounder's primary role is batting — they bat in the top 6 and bowl as a secondary option. A bowling allrounder's primary role is bowling — they bat lower in the order but are capable of valuable contributions with the bat.
Who has the best allrounder record in Test cricket?
Jacques Kallis of South Africa is statistically the most complete Test allrounder — 13,289 runs (avg 55.37) and 292 wickets in Tests. Gary Sobers arguably had a higher peak; Kallis had greater combined volume.