All-rounders are a great asset for any cricket team in any given format, as these individuals can contribute to all the facets of the game.
With the emergence of T20 leagues across the globe, the number of all-rounders who used to excel with both bat and ball at the highest level (Test cricket) has drastically reduced in Tests thanks to the growing demands of the game.
But still, the need for a genuine all-rounder is always felt by sides in the Test format. This is because these players provide cushion for an extra batter or bowler, depending on their primary skill set.
Since the yesteryears, Test cricket has seen a lot of such cricketers who have made a difference to their sides in both departments of the game. Here is the list of cricketers with 2000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket.
Players with 2000 Runs & 200 Wickets in Test
| Player | Matches | Runs | Batting Avg | Wickets | Bowling Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 166 | 13289 | 55.37 | 292 | 32.65 |
| Garry Sobers (WI) | 93 | 8032 | 57.78 | 235 | 34.03 |
| Ben Stokes (ENG) | 111 | 6728 | 35.41 | 212 | 32.11 |
| Kapil Dev (IND) | 131 | 5248 | 31.05 | 434 | 29.64 |
| Ian Botham (ENG) | 102 | 5200 | 33.54 | 383 | 28.40 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 71 | 4609 | 37.77 | 246 | 31.72 |
| Daniel Vettori (NZ) | 113 | 4531 | 30.00 | 362 | 34.36 |
| Andrew Flintoff (ENG) | 79 | 3845 | 31.77 | 226 | 32.78 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 88 | 3807 | 37.69 | 362 | 22.81 |
| Shaun Pollock (SA) | 108 | 3781 | 32.31 | 421 | 23.11 |
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | 167 | 3662 | 18.03 | 604 | 27.68 |
| Chris Cairns (NZ) | 62 | 3320 | 33.53 | 218 | 29.40 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) | 106 | 3503 | 25.75 | 537 | 24.00 |
| Ravindra Jadeja (IND) | 80 | 3370 | 34.74 | 323 | 24.14 |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 145 | 3154 | 17.32 | 708 | 25.41 |
| Richard Hadlee (NZ) | 86 | 3124 | 27.16 | 431 | 22.29 |
| Moeen Ali (ENG) | 68 | 3094 | 28.12 | 204 | 37.31 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 111 | 3089 | 24.32 | 355 | 29.58 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 104 | 2898 | 22.64 | 414 | 23.62 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 132 | 2506 | 17.77 | 619 | 29.65 |
| Harbhajan Singh (IND) | 103 | 2225 | 18.22 | 417 | 32.46 |
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 107 | 2245 | 15.48 | 391 | 30.26 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 96 | 2217 | 20.15 | 382 | 27.57 |
| Richard Benaud (AUS) | 63 | 2201 | 24.45 | 248 | 27.03 |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz (BAN) | 53 | 2068 | 24.04 | 205 | 32.00 |
| Mitchell Johnson (AUS) | 73 | 2065 | 22.20 | 313 | 28.40 |
Key Insights
24 players have achieved this tremendous double of taking 200 wickets and scoring 2000 runs in Test match cricket.
Among this elite list, Garry Sobers has the best batting average (57.78), followed by Jacques Kallis, whose average is 55.37 to go alongside 32.65 with the ball. On the bowling front, Richard Hadlee’s 22.30 is the least, followed by Imran Khan’s 22.81 in 86 games.
Only 4 players on this list have taken 500 or more wickets: Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Stuart Broad, and Ravi Ashwin. If we include players with at least 400 wickets, the number extends to 9, including Kapil Dev, Shaun Pollock, Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram, and Harbhajan Singh.
Likewise, in batting, only 6 players who have crossed the 4000-run mark have taken 200 or more wickets. This includes Kallis, Sobers, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Daniel Vettori, and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan.
South Africa’s legendary all-rounder Kallis is the only one who has scored 10000-plus runs in Test cricket while claiming 200-plus wickets, and he has played a whopping 166 games in the longest format. Stuart Broad of England, with 167 Tests, has made the most appearances on this list.
Kaliis also has the most centuries on this list with 45, followed by Sobers, who hit 26 during his time, and Botham comes in third with 14 tons.
