In T20 cricket, there is always a demand for all-rounders. While some qualify as batting all-rounders many are considered to be bowling allrounders which means they are specialists in a particular skill set but handy with the other skill set.
Sam Curran, the costliest player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was bought by Punjab Kings for a whopping INR 18.50 crores. He is an all-rounder who is known to be a lethal finisher and bowls left-arm medium fast. In fact, the top three costliest players in Curran, Cameroon Green (INR 17.5 cr) and Ben Stokes (INR 16.5 cr) are all-rounders.
Back in the day, Shane Watson and Kieron Pollard used to be sensational not only for their big hitting but also for their ability to pick up wickets and squeeze the run flow with their variations in bowling.
TSN takes a look at the most impressive all-rounders in IPL history who have scored 2000 runs and picked a minimum of 50 wickets.
Who are the top five all-rounders in IPL history?
1) Shane Watson
The former Australian cricketer made his debut in the IPL in 2008 for the Rajasthan Royals and was instrumental in helping them win the inaugural title. He went on to ply his trade for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Mumbai Indians, and the Chennai Super Kings and won his second title in 2018 with CSK.
Overall, Watson has scored 3874 runs in 145 IPL matches at an average of 30.99 and a strike rate of 137.91. He has also taken 92 wickets with his medium-fast bowling.
2) Kieron Pollard
The Caribbean is regarded as an all-time legend in T20 cricket. He has been a one-team man and has played for the Mumbai Indians from 2010-2022. His big-hitting and explosive performances in the middle and lower order have been a treat to watch. He has been an instrumental figure in the MI dressing room and has helped them win five IPL titles.
In addition to his ability to hit the ball hard, he had been an outstanding fielder in the outfield and hardly anything could get past him in the deep.
Pollard has scored 3,412 runs in 189 matches at an average of 28.67 and a strike rate of 147.32. He has also taken 69 wickets with his bowling and has been a brilliant fielder, taking 103 catches in his IPL career.
3) Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis, former South African all-rounder, played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during his IPL career. He was a key player for both teams and made significant contributions to their success.
Kallis played for KKR from 2011 to 2014 and was a vital part of the team that won the IPL title in 2012 and 2014. He was a consistent performer with both bat and ball, scoring 1604 runs and taking 45 wickets in his 66 matches for the team.
In 2015, Kallis moved to RCB and played for them for two seasons before retiring from all forms of cricket in 2016. He scored 543 runs and took 11 wickets in his 28 matches for RCB.
Overall, Kallis scored 2,427 runs and took 65 wickets in his IPL career. He was known for his ability to score runs at a steady pace and also contribute with his medium-fast bowling. Kallis’ performances in the IPL made him one of the most successful overseas players in the league’s history.
4) Ravindra Jadeja
The India international has played for multiple franchises in IPL but will always be remembered as a CSK legend. He has been a part of the team since 2012 and apart from his left-arm orthodox spin bowling, and aggressive batting in the middle order, he is sensational on the field.
Jadeja continues to be an integral part of the CSK squad and his recent innings of 25 off 15 deliveries show that he is still one of the most accomplished finishers in the game.
Jadeja has scored 2531 runs in 214 matches at an average of 26.36 and a strike rate of 127.57. He has also taken 138 wickets and has been a brilliant fielder, taking 90 catches so far.
5) Andre Russell
The Jamaican all-rounder has become one of the most feared players in the IPL due to his power-hitting ability in the death overs. He has played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since 2014 and continues to be one of the first names on the team sheet for the franchise.
He played an amazing innings of 80 off just 40 balls at the Eden Gardens against MI to help KKR post a score of 232 which still remains the highest score for a team in that venue. He is a master of variations when it comes to bowling which makes him hard to hit. However, he is yet to bowl in the 2023 edition of the tournament.
In the IPL, Russell has scored 2071 runs in 101 matches at an average of 29.59 and a strike rate of 177.62. He has also taken 89 wickets with his medium-fast bowling.
