Kapil Dev was the greatest fast bowler and greatest all rounder India has ever produced. He could bowl with immaculate accuracy and was a master of swing. If that wasn't enough, he was brutal with the bat. It comes as no surprise then that in 2002, he was named India's Cricketer of the Century. His best performances came in the 1983 World Cup in which he scored 303 runs at 60 and took 12 wickets at 20. He was of paramount importance in India's triumph. His best batting performance was his legendary 175 against Zimbabwe. India were 17/5 when Kapil took the attack to the Zimbabwean bowlers, scoring 175 off 138 balls, with 16 boundaries and 6 sixes.
- In 1988, Kapil overtook Joel Garner to become the highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket. His final career tally of 253 wickets remained a record until it was broken by Wasim Akram in 1994.
- According to the ICC cricket ratings for all-rounders in ODI cricket [49], Kapil's peak rating of 631 is the highest rating ever achieved. He reached this mark on 22 March 1985 after a World Series final against Pakistan in Australia.
Kapil Dev was an all rounder par excellence. In 198 innings, he scored 3783 runs at an average of 24 with 14 fifties and a century to his name at an impressive strike rate of 95. As a bowler he took 253 wickets an average of 27 at an economy rate of 3.71. He was even better as captain, averaging 31 with the bat at a strike rate of 106. He also averaged 26 with the ball as captain.
I would have gone for his English contemporary but he didn't score a century, scored less fifties, had slightly lower batting average and much lower strike rate (which is important considering that he would be coming in at 7 in my line up). As a bowler, his economy rate and average were also higher than Kapil's. He never took a 4 for or a 5 for, unlike Kapil who took three 4 fors and one 5 for. Kapil also has a little more experience than him.
Matthew Hayden (AUSTRALIA)
+ Adam Gilchrist (AUSTRALIA)
3
4
5
6
Kapil Dev (INDIA)
8
9
10
Saqlain Mushtaq (PAKISTAN)
