Friday, 14 March 2008

Best All-Rounder in World Cricket

Who is the best all-rounder in Test Cricket?
Let’s take definition of an all-rounder. The traditional all-rounder is one who can be selected in a team purely as a batsman or a bowler. Adam Gilchrist’s lasting contribution has ensured that we expand the definition of all-rounder to one who can get selected purely as a wicket keeper or as a batsman.

Going by this expanded definition, lets list out the candidates
India: Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Not sure Irfan Pathan will find a place in the team as either bowler or batsman especially in unhelpful sub continental wickets. Dhoni certainly can enter the team purely as a batsman. So India’s candidate is Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Australia: With retirement of Adam Gilchrist, no candidate around
New Zealand: They have two superb candidates – Brendon McCullum and Jacob Oram
England: With Flintoff injured, can’t see any viable candidate
South Africa: Jacques Kallis does not bowl anymore or atleast not enough. Shaun Pollock has retired. Only Mark Boucher fits the bill
Pakistan: Shoaib Malik comes to mind but he is an iffy bowler at best. Kamran Akmal cannot keep wickets :-)
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakarra, fab batsman wicket keeper. One of my favourite cricketers
West Indies: Bravo is masquerading as all-rounder. To my mind, he is only brilliant fielder --period

Rankings
If you consolidate the list of candidates, we have Dhoni, McCullum, Boucher, Sangakarra and Oram – four wicket keepers and one traditional all-rounder. This points two interesting developments:
-- There is clear lack of quality all-rounders in world cricket – the amount of cricket being played is possibly not allowing cricketers to develop both their batting and bowling skills – 1980s was possibly best period of all-rounders with Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee competing for the best all-rounder tag.
-- The legacy left behind by legendary Adam Gilchrist is evident. He is a true champ

I would rate the five candidates in following order:
1. Kumar Sangakarra
2. Brendon McCullum
3. Jacob Oram
4. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
5. Mark Boucher

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