Captains Who Achieved A Double Of 1000+ Runs And 100+ Wickets In Test History

Captaincy brings with it a lot of pressure and responsibilities. And, if you are an all-rounder, your task becomes even more arduous, as the player not only has to manage his own performance with both bat and ball, he or she has to manage the whole team.

But, as we have always seen, champions always rise to the challenge. They proceed to lead the team and set an example for their players with their own performances with both bat and ball, as are the members in the below list, who took their performances to a completely different level when they were made captains.

Here’s a look at captains who achieved a double of 1000+ runs and 100+ wickets in Test history:

Jason Holder- 1620 runs & 100 wickets

Jason Holder became the latest captain to do a double of 1000+ Test runs and 100+ wickets in Test match cricket when he dismissed Dom Sibley on the third day of the 3rd Test against England.

Holder has led the West Indies in 35 Tests and he is already the 5th highest scorer by a West Indies captain. In 35 Tests, the all-rounder has scored 1620 runs at an average of 31 which also includes two hundred and six half-centuries. And, he is just 17 wickets away from overhauling Sir Garfield Sobers tally of 117 scalps- the most by aa West Indian captain.

Daniel Vettori- 1917 runs & 116 wickets

One of the most underrated cricketers of the 21st century, it might surprise a plethora of people to see Daniel Vettori in this esteemed list. But, just like his team New Zealand, Vettori always used to punch above his weight. The left-handed all-rounder the Kiwis after Stephen Fleming’s retirement in 2007 and for the better part of the next four years, he emerged as the leader of the team, taking the lead with both bat and ball.

Vettori is the fifth-highest run-scorer for New Zealand as captain. In 32 games, the southpaw scored 1917 runs at an average of 39.2 with the help of four hundred and nine half-centuries. As far as bowling is concerned, there is no competition whatsoever. The left-arm spinner 116 wickets in the 32 games that he led the Kiwis at an average of 33.38 and six five-wicket-hauls.

Kapil Dev- 1364 runs & 111 wickets

Of course, no list of all-rounders can ever be completed without the mention of the 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev.

The ‘Haryana Hurricane’ captained India in 34 Tests between 1983-87 in which he scored a total of 1364 runs at an average of  31.72 which also included three hundred.

In those 34 Tests, Kapil Dev also claimed 111 wickets at an average of 26.35 with four five-wicket-hauls and one ten-for. No Indian captain has taken more wickets than Dev’s 111; Bishan Singh Bedi comes at the second spot with 106 in 22 matches.

Imran Khan- 2408 runs & 187 wickets

Possibly the greatest-ever all-round cricketer to have ever played the game for the Men in Green, Imran Khan was a captain who led his team from the front, whether it was with the bat or with the ball.

Imran Khan captained Pakistan in a total of 48 Tests between 1981-1992 and he still the second-highest run-scorer as captain in the history of Pakistan cricket. In 48 Tests, Khan scored 2408 runs at an average of 52.34 which also included five hundred.

He was even more lethal when he had the ball in his hand, especially when he was the captain. The right-hander still holds the record for most wickets as captain by a Pakistani player. In 48 games, Khan claimed 187 wickets at an average of 20.26 with 12 five-wicket-hauls and four ten-for.

Sir Garfield Sobers- 3528 runs & 117 wickets

One of the greatest ever cricketers to have ever played the game, it is not really a surprise that Sir Garfield Sobers features in this list as well.

The West Indian legend, who led the team for seven years between 1965-72, racked up as many as 3528 runs at an average of 58.80 in the 39 matches [15 50s and 11 hundred] in which he led the Caribbean islands and in those games, he also claimed 1117 wickets at an average of 34.

Also Read: Things That Have Changed In Cricket Between The Time Curtly Ambrose And Kemar Roach Crossed The 200-Wicket Mark For West Indies In Test Cricket