The honest answer is: there is no single universally agreed “best all‑rounder in cricket,” but most experts and stats‑driven lists put Sir Garfield (Gary) Sobers and Jacques Kallis at the very top, with frequent mentions of Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and a few modern names like Ben Stokes.

Below is a friendly “Quick Scoop” style breakdown, as you asked.

Who is best all rounder in cricket?

Short take

If you had to name just one all‑time great, Sir Garfield Sobers is most often called the greatest all‑rounder in cricket history, while Jacques Kallis is widely seen as the greatest statistical all‑rounder of the modern era.

What makes an all‑rounder “the best”?

To judge who is best all rounder in cricket, fans and analysts usually look at:

  • Consistent run‑scoring against top attacks (not just quick cameos).
  • Wickets taken in different conditions and match situations.
  • Impact on match results: how often they changed or saved games with bat or ball.
  • Longevity across formats and eras, plus fielding and leadership.

Because these factors are weighed differently by different people, debates get heated and there is no single “official” answer.

The two names that come up the most

Sir Garfield (Gary) Sobers – “complete” all‑rounder

  • Regarded by many historians and former players as the greatest all‑rounder ever.
  • Scored over 8,000 Test runs for West Indies at a high average and once held the world‑record Test score of 365*.
  • Bowled both pace and spin, taking more than 200 Test wickets, plus was an outstanding fielder.
  • Often praised as the most naturally gifted, three‑dimensional cricketer the game has seen.

Jacques Kallis – statistical giant

  • Piles of runs in both Tests and ODIs, with an elite Test batting average and more than 10,000 runs in each of the two main formats.
  • Took nearly 600 international wickets across formats with his medium‑fast bowling.
  • Many modern rankings label him “the greatest all‑rounder of the modern era” because of his huge numbers and consistency.

A common fan stance is: Sobers as the most naturally complete cricketer, Kallis as the most statistically dominant all‑rounder.

Other legendary all‑rounders people call “the best”

You’ll see these names in almost every “best all rounder in cricket history” discussion:

  • Kapil Dev (India) – Only player with 400+ Test wickets and 5,000+ Test runs; led India to the 1983 World Cup title.
  • Imran Khan (Pakistan) – World‑class fast bowler, very capable batsman, inspirational captain who won the 1992 World Cup.
  • Ian Botham (England) – Hero of “Botham’s Ashes” 1981, famous for turning Tests with bat and ball.
  • Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) – Devastating fast bowler with 400+ Test wickets and useful runs down the order.
  • Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – Revolutionised ODI opening batting while also taking 400+ international wickets with spin.
  • Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Shahid Afridi, Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, Ravindra Jadeja, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo – Frequently listed among top all‑rounders in different formats and eras.

So once you go beyond Sobers and Kallis, the answer becomes more about which era, format (Tests vs ODIs vs T20s), and style you personally value most.

Today’s context and “latest news” angle

In current discussions and rankings:

  • Many “all‑time” lists published in the last 2–3 years still put Sobers and Kallis in the top two spots.
  • For “best all‑rounder in the world right now,” fans often argue for Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, Ravindra Jadeja, and a few others, depending on whether you look at Tests, ODIs, or T20s.
  • On forums and social media, you’ll see split views: older fans push Sobers/Botham/Imran/Kapil, younger ones lean toward Kallis, Stokes, Jadeja, or white‑ball specialists.

A typical “forum style” view might be:

If you’re talking pure impact and skill across batting, bowling, and fielding, it’s Sobers. If you’re talking numbers and modern era longevity, it’s Kallis. After that, it’s just which legend you grew up watching.

Quick HTML table: top all‑rounder candidates

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Player</th>
      <th>Country</th>
      <th>Main claim to fame</th>
      <th>Why many rate them as “best”</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Sir Garfield Sobers</td>
      <td>West Indies</td>
      <td>Elite bat, multi‑skill bowler, great fielder[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Most naturally complete cricketer; dominant in all facets over a long Test career[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Jacques Kallis</td>
      <td>South Africa</td>
      <td>10,000+ runs in both Tests and ODIs, nearly 600 wickets[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Unmatched statistical record as an all‑rounder in modern cricket[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Kapil Dev</td>
      <td>India</td>
      <td>400+ Test wickets, 5,000+ Test runs, 1983 WC winner[web:1][web:7]</td>
      <td>India’s greatest all‑rounder, huge impact on Indian cricket history[web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Imran Khan</td>
      <td>Pakistan</td>
      <td>World‑class fast bowler, key middle‑order bat, 1992 WC captain[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Match‑winning leader and elite bowler who could also bat big when needed[web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Ian Botham</td>
      <td>England</td>
      <td>“Botham’s Ashes” 1981 heroics, prolific in Tests[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Iconic series‑turning performances, especially with England vs Australia[web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Ben Stokes</td>
      <td>England</td>
      <td>Ashes 2019 Headingley knock, 2019 WC final, modern all‑format star[web:3][web:9][web:10]</td>
      <td>Face of modern high‑impact all‑round play in all formats[web:9][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Shakib Al Hasan</td>
      <td>Bangladesh</td>
      <td>Top‑order bat and frontline spinner, world rankings topper in ODIs/T20Is[web:3][web:10]</td>
      <td>Among the most consistent white‑ball all‑rounders of the last decade[web:3][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Ravindra Jadeja</td>
      <td>India</td>
      <td>Key Test all‑rounder, world‑class fielder, match‑winning spells and crucial runs[web:7][web:9][web:10]</td>
      <td>Currently one of the most valuable Test all‑rounders, especially at home[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR:

  • Historical “GOAT” answer: Sir Garfield Sobers.
  • Modern stats‑based answer: Jacques Kallis.
  • Current‑era debates: Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, Ravindra Jadeja and others, depending on format and personal bias.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.