Top 5 all-rounders in Indian cricket

4. Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev

The Wisden Indian player of the Century, captain of the 1983 World cup winning team, ICC Hall of Fame member and arguably one of the finest all-rounder to have played the game, Kapil Dev was a revelation to Indian cricket, something which comes once in a lifetime.

From underdogs, he was the architect of the aura of fear that the Indian team enjoys today. The only player to have scored more than 5000 runs and taken 400+ wickets in Test cricket and with 253 ODI wickets, the medium pacer and right handed batsman was the captain of the Indian team for the period of 1982-84 and again in 1985-86.

He was an extremely attacking batsman and a menacing bowler with an army of yorkers and could swing the ball both ways. His finest innings which is often considered the innings of the century came against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup when coming in at 9 for 4, he scored a breath-taking 175 to play the rescue act along with tail ender Syed Kirmani.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin

Many would consider it a little too early for considering his as one of the best all-rounders of the Indian side but Ashwin has proven to be amongst the finest players of the game. With 100+ wickets from only 18 Test matches which is also a World record as well as 95 wickets in ODI’s, Ashwin has soon developed into India’s first choice spinner in all formats of the game.

His bowling arsenal revolves primarily around the variations he possesses like the carom ball or the slower off breaks. Primarily a bowling allrounder, Ashwin has proven his dependability with the bat as well. He may not have scored too many runs yet with only 770 and 447 runs in Tests and ODI’s but what is exceptional about him is that in spite of batting lower down the order at no 7, he has maintained a batting average of 40+ which includes 2 Test centuries.

His batting technique, temperament and ability to hang on has come in for a lot of praise from all quarters and has given him the tag of being an genuine all-rounder who can be counted upon in adverse circumstances.