Venkatesh Iyer reveals his top five all-rounders of all-time, includes two Indians [Exclusive]

In an exclusive conversation with CricTracker, India's star cricketer Venkatesh Iyer revealed his list of the top five all-rounders of all time. The list consists of a mix of past legends and current players, including South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, West Indies’ Andre Russell, England’s Ben Stokes, and two Indian cricketing stalwarts, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. Iyer, who has played a crucial role in KKR’s success in the IPL over the years, shared his admiration for these players.

The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder's list began with Kallis, who is regarded as the most complete all-rounder in the history of the game. The former dominated the game for over a decade, scoring over 10,000 runs and picking 200-plus wickets in both Tests and ODIs. His ability to stabilize South Africa’s innings with the bat and contribute with crucial breakthroughs made him a valuable asset. Even years after retirement, Kallis is considered one of the best players to have played the game.  

Andre Russell was another name on the same list. The West Indian with 9449 T20 runs at a strike rate of 168.22 and close to 500 wickets in the format, Russell has been one of the most feared cricketers, especially in the shortest format of the game. However, the veteran was recently released by KKR ahead of IPL 2026 mini-auction.

England's current Test captain, Ben Stokes, is one of the greatest match-winners of the modern era. Stokes’ heroics in the 2019 World Cup final and his Ashes exploits have made him a reliable all-rounder, leading to his selection in this list. Lastly, Iyer picked two Indians, in the form of Hardik and Jadeja, both of whom have displayed their skill set on numerous occasions.

Notably, Pandya has become a crucial player for India in white-ball cricket. His ability to finish games and deliver under pressure has been crucial in India’s success in recent years.  On the other hand,  Jadeja is one of the best all-rounders in the world, rounding off Iyer’s list. Jadeja’s all-round brilliance across formats has made him a vital part of India’s setup. 

Venkatesh Iyer's All-time top five all-rounders [CricTracker]:

Ben Stokes, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Andre Russell, Jacques Kallis