The Special All-rounders’ Club – 500 runs and 50 wickets in a calendar year

#2 Kapil Dev (India)

1983 was a phenomenal year for Kapil Dev. He captained India to probably, its greatest sporting moment by lifting the World Cup. On a personal front, too, Kapil Dev touched new heights. He achieved the rare double of 500 runs and 50 wickets for a second time.

Kapil scored 579 runs at 22.26 including a century and a whopping 75 wickets at 23.18. He had achieved the feat for the first time in 1979, when he scored 619 runs at 30.95 and took 74 wickets at 22.95. What is more impressive is the fact that Kapil had played 13 of the 17 Tests that year at home, where pitches aren’t as conducive to fast bowling as they are outside.

In 1983 too, 13 of the 18 Tests were played in the sub-continent, 4 of those 13 in Pakistan’s backyard, where Kapil was phenomenal, picking 8 and 7 wickets in the second and fourth Tests respectively. Kapil didn’t manage to get any centuries though, 98 being his highest at St. John’s against West Indies.