Top 5 all-rounders with 4,000 Test runs and 100 wickets

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has had a sensational 12 months in international cricket. He was the team’s talisman at the 2019 World Cup with 465 runs in 11 matches at an average of 66.42 and a strike rate of 93.18. He also chipped in with the ball, claiming seven wickets at an average of 35.14. England would not have lifted the World Cup but for his incredible batting heroics in the final.

In the Ashes series that followed, Stokes pulled off a miraculous victory at Headingley from a position of no hope. His unbeaten 135 would go down in history as one of the greatest Test knocks ever. In the ongoing Test series against South Africa, he helped England draw level at Cape Town with a fantastic all-round effort. At Port Elizabeth, Stokes became only the seventh cricketer to complete the double of 4,000 Test runs and 100 wickets. He is now on his way to be counted in conversations as one of the best all-rounders of all time.

Here’s a look at the top five all-rounders to have achieved the same before him.

#1. Sir Garfield Sobers

West Indian legend Sir Gary Sobers is the topmost name on the list. In a 20-year Test career spanning from 1954 to 1974, Sobers featured in 93 Tests and scored 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78. In a distinguished career, Sobers notched up as many as 26 hundreds apart from 30 fifties.

His highest of 365 not out came against Pakistan at Kingston in February 1958. It stood as a record for highest Test score for many years until another West Indian legend, Brian Lara, surpassed it at Antigua in April 1994. Sobers was present at the ground to witness history being created.

Also see – BBL Most Wickets

Apart from 8,000-plus Test runs, Sobers also picked up an impressive tally of 235 wickets. His scalps came at an average of 34.03 with six five-wicket hauls. Sobers’ best in an innings was 6 for 73 against Australia at Brisbane in December 1968, a Test Windies won by 125 runs. His best match figures of 8 for 80 (5 for 41 and 3 for 39) came versus England at Leeds in August 1966. West Indies were triumphant in the match by an innings and 55 runs.

Note: All statistics as of January 19, 2019

#2. Sir Ian Botham

Before Stokes, Sir Ian Botham was the first and the only other Englishman to cross the landmark of 4,000 Test runs and 100 wickets. In a Test career that lasted from 1977 to 1992, Botham featured in 102 matches and notched up 5,200 runs at an average of 33.54 with 14 hundreds and 22 fifties.

While his 149 not out at Headingley in 1981 is rated as his best by many, statistically Botham’s Test best was 208 against India at The Oval in July 1982. Botham’s knock came off only 226 balls in a drawn Test.

With his medium pace, Botham claimed 383 wickets at an average of 28.40. At one point of time, he was the leading Test wicket-taker in the world. Botham picked up an impressive 27 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket match hauls. His best figures in an innings, 8 for 34, came against Pakistan at Lord’s in June 1978. Botham blew away Pakistan for 139 as they followed-on, and lost the Test by an innings and 120 runs.

The all-rounder’s match-best of 13 for 106 came against India in Mumbai in February 1980. Botham’s 6 for 58 and 7 for 48, combined with 114 with the bat, guided England to a memorable 10-wicket triumph.

#3. Kapil Dev

Unarguably India’s greatest all-rounder ever, Kapil Dev also features in this rare list. In 131 Tests from 1978 to 1994, Dev claimed 434 wickets at an average of 29.64, breaking Richard Hadlee’s record for most Test wickets. He famously bowled India to victory at Melbourne in 1981, despite a hamstring injury, with figures of 5 for 28 as India defended 143.

Dev claimed 23 five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket match hauls. His best innings haul of 9 for 83 came against West Indies at Ahmedabad in November 1983. Windies though won the match as India failed to chase 242.

Dev’s best match analysis of 11 for 146 (4 for 90 and 7 for 56) came against Pakistan in Chennai in January 1980. The all-rounder also scored 84 in the first innings as India won the Test by 10 wickets.

With the willow in hand, he notched up 5,248 runs at an average of 31.05 with eight hundreds and 27 fifties. Dev’s highest Test score of 163 was registered against Sri Lanka at Kanpur in December 1986 in a drawn Test. Known for his aggressive instinct, he famously hit Eddie Hemmings for four consecutive sixes at Lord’s in July 1990 to help India save the follow-on.

#4. Jacques Kallis

The Garry Sobers of the modern era, Jacques Kallis was an immovable element of South African cricket for nearly two decades. In 166 Tests from 1995 to 2013, Kallis amassed 13,289 runs at an average of 55.37 with 45 hundreds and 58 fifties.

Kallis registered two double hundreds during his career. His best of 224 came against Sri Lanka at Cape Town in January 2012. Kallis’ runs came off 325 balls as South Africa posted 580 for 4 batting first. The Proteas won the Test by 10 wickets.

With the ball in hand, he claimed 292 wickets at an average of 32.65. Kallis picked up five five-wicket hauls with a best of 6 for 54 against England at Leeds in August 2003. The figures came as England chased 401, and lost the Test by 191 runs. His best match figures of 9 for 92 also came in the same contest as Kallis picked up 3 for 38 in England’s first innings.

The Proteas, till date, have been unable to fill the massive gap left behind by the legendary all-rounder’s retirement.

#5. Ben Stokes

The newest entrant in the list, Ben Stokes presently has 4,026 runs, playing in his 62nd Test. The England all-rounder crossed the 4,000-run mark during the ongoing Port Elizabeth Test against South Africa, as part of his 120 in the first innings. Stokes has nine hundreds and 21 fifties to his credit at an average of 36.93.

His 135 not out against Australia at Headingley during the 2019 Ashes has become stuff of legend. It was an incredible fightback as England were 286 for 9 chasing 359. Remarkably, England won after being bowled out for 67 in the first innings.

Stokes’ best of 258 came against South Africa at Cape Town in January 2016. Coming in at number six, he smashed the runs from 198 balls hitting 30 fours and 11 sixes. The match ended in a high-scoring draw.

With the ball, Stokes has claimed 143 wickets at an average of 32.93 with four five-wicket hauls. His best innings figures of 6 for 22 came in the first innings of the Lord’s Test against West Indies in September 2017 as the batting side were rolled over for 123. Stokes also contributed 60 with the bat as England won the game by nine wickets.

His best match figures of 8 for 161 (6 for 99 and 2 for 62) came in the Ashes Test at Sydney in January 2014. Australia, however, won the match by 281 runs.