LISTICLE
Follow UsBrace yourself and prepare for the biggest One-Day International (ODI) competition, the 50-over World Cup. And how better to prepare yourself than a list of players who wouldn’t be picked if not for their secondary skills?
PS: There are several players that well and truly fit this list like a glove.
Afghanistan - Mohammad Nabi
Primary Skill: We don't know anymore
“The President” Mohammad Nabi is one of the biggest stars in Afghanistan cricket’s history and an integral figure of the Afghanistan setup.
But no more is Nabi a bonafide ‘all-rounder’. Since the start of 2020, Nabi has scored just ONE FIFTY with the bat and averages in the early 20s. In addition, there also was a year - 2021 - where his average read 17.50. His strike rate has fallen off a cliff, reading 70.96, 57.37 and 91.51 before his quick-fire 50 in the Asia Cup this year.
If not for his bowling, Nabi’s place in Afghanistan’s XI might well and truly be up for a bigger debate.
Australia - Marcus Stoinis
Primary Skill: Professional body-builder
Stoinis’ name shouldn’t come as a surprise. He has been under-performing for the longest time, so even 30-40 runs from him in an innings seems like a big deal. So, why is he still in the Australian squad? Well, the prospect of Stoinis as someone who can bowl with the new ball, has enticed the Australian management.
In this year (2023), the 34-year-old has taken the new ball in 42 overs for the Kangaroos, picking up seven wickets and averaging 32.71. This skill has blinded the Australian side, who have overlooked his vulnerabilities with the bat. Over the last three years, Stoinis’ batting average is 14, 19 and 15, with no 50s.
India - Axar Patel
Axar Patel, ermmm, was supposed to be a perfect all-rounder. He had the ability to pick up wickets and also possessed a blade that swung mighty. But right now, if not for his batting skill, it is almost impossible to envision the left-handed all-rounder in the Indian squad.
His primary skill, bowling, isn't effective anymore, and that's a real headache for the national team. He averages 32.23 with the ball, which isn't too shabby, right? Except when you see that his average in 2023 is 59, with just FOUR WICKETS. If not for his batting prowess that he shows regularly, Axar's place in the Indian side isn't that assured.
England - Sam Curran, Moeen Ali
Primary Skill: Being English
Like always, England have multiple options for everything. We spent a lot of time thinking about which of these two would fit the bill, and it turns out - both. The thing about ‘all-rounders’ is that the promise kills you.
Either they are just batters who can bowl or bowlers who can bat.
While Sam Curran fits in the latter category, Moeen Ali fits in the former. Both of them are just picked on their secondary skills. For Ali, it is the fact that he can bowl part-time off-spin, and for Curran, it is that his batting always makes him a must-pick. Ali averages 47.76 with the ball, and Curran averages 23.93 with the bat. So, both are just picked based on their secondary skills.
South Africa - Gerald Coetzee
Just being four-ODI old, Gerald Coetzee’s selection in the South African squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup isn’t a shock. South Africa rate his all-round skill as a big differential. Well, the reality might just be a little different from that. Coetzee averages 18.54 with the ball, but it isn’t the only reason the 22-year-old has been picked in the setup.
The Proteas have picked Coetzee, believing that his batting could come in handy. Until now, his ODI average of 1.50 is far from that, and so is his average of 18.54 in Tests. If not for that, maybe the Jo’burg Super Kings’ youngster wouldn’t be in the national setup.
New Zealand - Jimmy Neesham
Primary Skill: Professional Tweeter
Sometimes, they say that the illusion of something is more powerful than reality, don’t they? That is perhaps the perfect way to define Jimmy Neesham, the all-rounder. Neesham last played an ODI back in May 2023, but the fact that his secondary skill has tilted his selection is a constant.
Neesham’s bowling skills were underrated in the 2019 ODI World Cup, but it has only helped him find a place in the New Zealand squad since then. The last time the 33-year-old picked up a wicket in the 50-over format was 2021.
Since then, Neesham has only blanked with the ball. In Neesham’s case, it is rather interesting because even the batting numbers aren’t great, so a bit like big Stoin.
Pakistan - Mohammad Nawaz
Primary Skill: No one blame Nawaz
Shadab Khan might be one of the names that could come to your mind immediately, but then there is Mohammad Nawaz. The thing with Nawaz is that we are still unsure about his primary and secondary skills. Considering that bowling is his primary skill, the left-handed all-rounder has been picked based on his batting display.
Nawaz has scored 325 runs, averaging 18.05 with the bat. Last year, the left-handed batter shone with the bat in the clash against arch-rivals India, and that was possibly one of the biggest reasons why the 29-year-old is part of the Pakistani setup.
Considering batting is his primary skill, he averages 32.10 with the ball in ODIs. So, either way, is he a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder?
(At the time of publishing, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka's ODI World Cup were not announced)
