Seven all-rounders who took a 5-for and scored a century in the same Test multiple times

Jonhenry Wilson
Corbin Bosch smiles
South Africa's Corbin Bosch hit a century and took a five-wicket haul in Test cricket against Zimbabwe in mid-2025.

The mark of a good all-rounder is that they can hold their place in a team as either a batsman or a bowler – it’s a statement that makes a lot of sense.

But on their day and in the right circumstances, anybody can score some solid runs or bag a handful of wickets. So how do you really judge true all-round ability?

The coveted batting landmark is the century, while for bowlers it is five wickets in an innings. A top all-rounder should be able to do both in the same game.

It sounds sensible, but the reality is that in the almost 150-year history of Test cricket, it’s a feat that has only been achieved on 40 occasions, by only 28 players.

South Africa’s Corbin Bosch managed the feat in the recently completed first Test against Zimbabwe. But who else has done it, and more impressively, done it multiple times?

Here are the select few players who have scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in an innings in the same Test on more than one occasion.

1. Garry Sobers (West Indies) – twice

  1. 104 and 5/63 vs India, Kingston, April 1962
  2. 174 and 5/41 vs England, Leeds, August 1966

Garry Sobers is often regarded as the greatest all-rounder the game has ever seen. A classical left-handed batsman with immense range and a bowler who could switch between pace and spin, Sobers’ all-round brilliance came to full expression twice.

His performance against India in 1962 was vintage Sobers – graceful with the bat, clinical with the ball. Four years later, his domination of England at Headingley confirmed that when Sobers was in the mood, he could control all aspects of the game.

2. Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan) – twice

  1. 201 and 5/49 vs New Zealand, Dunedin, February 1973
  2. 121 and 5/28 vs West Indies, Port of Spain, April 1977

Mushtaq Mohammad’s name may not be as widely recognised outside Pakistan, but his all-round skills were exemplary. In Dunedin, he became the first Pakistani to make a double century and take five wickets in a single match.

His second instance, four years later against a strong West Indies side, underlined his match-winning capabilities. A stylish middle-order batsman and shrewd leg-spinner, Mushtaq’s contribution to Pakistan cricket was immense.

Interestingly, while most people on this list completed the achievement at home, Mushtaq Mohammad achieved the feat twice away from home.

Also read: Revealed – how many more Test runs Joe Root needs to beat Sachin Tendulkar

3. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – twice

  1. 110 and 5/90 vs West Indies, Cape Town, January 1999
  2. 139 not out and 5/21 vs Bangladesh, Potchefstroom, October 2002

Perhaps the most statistically dominant all-rounder since Sobers, Jacques Kallis was primarily seen as a batting giant. But when needed, he delivered with the ball.

His five-for against the West Indies came during the early years of his career and helped announce him as a true all-format cricketer.

His unbeaten 139 and 5/21 against Bangladesh might have come against weaker opposition, but the balance and poise with which he delivered both innings reaffirmed his status as one of the greats.

4. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – twice

  1. 144 and 6/82 vs Pakistan, Mirpur, December 2011
  2. 137 and 5/80, 5/44 vs Zimbabwe, Khulna, November 2014

The best cricketer Bangladesh has ever produced, Shakib Al Hasan’s influence was colossal. In 2011 against Pakistan, his all-round display was the only beacon in an otherwise underwhelming Bangladesh side.

His performance in Khulna three years later, where he claimed two five-wicket hauls alongside a century, is one of the most dominant all-round showings in Test history.

No matter the opposition, Shakib’s ability to control matches on his own terms, places him in rare company. It is no surprise that he spent a considerable period of time atop the ICC’s all-rounder rankings.

5. Ravindra Jadeja (India) – twice

  1. 175 not out and 5/41 vs Sri Lanka, Mohali, March 2022
  2. 112 and 5/41 vs England, Rajkot, February 2024

India’s Ravindra Jadeja is a modern-day marvel. Long seen as a handy spinning all-rounder, Jadeja turned himself into a world-class contributor with both bat and ball.

In Mohali, he rescued India from early trouble to post a huge score and then dismantled Sri Lanka with the ball. Two years later, against England in the 2024 series, he did it again, showing off his improved batting maturity alongside relentless accuracy and guile with the ball.

His fielding prowess only added to the overall package.

6. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 4 times

  1. 103 and 5/156 vs West Indies, Wankhede, November 2011
  2. 113 and 7/83 vs West Indies, North Sound, July 2016
  3. 106 and 5/43 vs England, Chennai, February 2021
  4. 113 and 6/88 vs Bangladesh, Chennai, September 2024

Ashwin stands alone as the only man to achieve this remarkable feat four times in Test history. Known primarily as a bowling wizard with 500+ Test wickets, his batting, especially at home, evolved to the extent that it could be match-defining.

His debut series in 2011 was memorable, but the 2021 and 2024 efforts came during phases when he was redefining himself as a batting force as well.

Versatile, intelligent, and fearless, Ashwin’s ability to adapt makes him a truly elite all-rounder. His retirement at the start of the year has been keenly felt.

7. Ian Botham (England) – 5 times

  1. 103 and 5/73 vs New Zealand, Christchurch, February 1978
  2. 108 and 8/34 vs Pakistan, London, June 1978
  3. 114 and 6/58, 7/48 vs India, Mumbai, February 1980
  4. 149 not out and 6/95 vs Australia, Leeds, July 1981
  5. 138 and 5/59 vs New Zealand, Wellington, January 1984

The king of the all-round double, Ian Botham achieved it more than anyone else, an incredible five times in the space of just six years. The statistics are eye-watering.

In one Test, he scored a century and took 13 wickets. In another, he single-handedly turned the Ashes in 1981 with a whirlwind century and match-winning bowling. Botham’s peak from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s was one of relentless match-winning brilliance.

Brash, charismatic and fearless, he is arguably the ultimate example of a Test match all-rounder for England.

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