Test verdict list
Best Test All-rounders of the 1970s
Ian Botham rises above Doug Walters, and the edge holds. Doug Walters keeps the better volume in Test batting, 2,968 runs to 1,068 runs. Ian Botham's volume in Test bowling settles it, 118 wickets to 38 wickets.
England
- Test Batting
- 69.5
- Test Bowling
- 91.0
Australia
- Test Batting
- 84.8
- Test Bowling
- 64.8
England
- Test Batting
- 87.0
- Test Bowling
- 62.6
Pakistan
- Test Batting
- 84.8
- Test Bowling
- 59.7
India
- Test Batting
- 60.5
- Test Bowling
- 71.8
West Indies
- Test Batting
- 88.3
- Test Bowling
- 45.0
Australia
- Test Batting
- 44.3
- Test Bowling
- 72.3
West Indies
- Test Batting
- 51.1
- Test Bowling
- 62.3
Pakistan
- Test Batting
- 77.0
- Test Bowling
- 41.2
England
- Test Batting
- 54.8
- Test Bowling
- 56.4
- Ian Botham
- 69.5 — led by Volume (25.4 of it), then Average (21.7)
- Doug Walters
- 84.8 — led by Volume (32.9 of it), then Average (23.4)
- Tony Greig
- 87.0 — led by Volume (33.8 of it), then Average (23.8)
- Mushtaq Mohammad
- 84.8 — led by Volume (31.3 of it), then Average (24.7)
- Kapil Dev
- 60.5 — led by Volume (23.6 of it), then Average (18.5)
- Garry Sobers
- 88.3 — led by Average (28.1 of it), then Volume (27.1)
- Gary Gilmour
- 44.3 — led by Volume (14.6 of it), then Average (10.9)
- Keith Boyce
- 51.1 — led by Volume (18.7 of it), then Average (12.7)
- Wasim Raja
- 77.0 — led by Volume (29.0 of it), then Average (22.1)
- Geoff Miller
- 54.8 — led by Volume (21.5 of it), then Average (15.8)
- Ian Botham
- 91.0 — led by Bowling average (30.0 of it), then Volume (28.8)
- Doug Walters
- 64.8 — led by Bowling average (25.6 of it), then Volume (12.2)
- Tony Greig
- 62.6 — led by Volume (31.2 of it), then Bowling average (14.2)
- Mushtaq Mohammad
- 59.7 — led by Volume (21.8 of it), then Bowling average (19.1)
- Kapil Dev
- 71.8 — led by Volume (24.6 of it), then Bowling average (21.8)
- Garry Sobers
- 45.0 — led by Bowling average (15.5 of it), then Volume (14.0)
- Gary Gilmour
- 72.3 — led by Bowling average (23.9 of it), then Volume (19.5)
- Keith Boyce
- 62.3 — led by Volume (20.4 of it), then Bowling average (17.5)
- Wasim Raja
- 41.2 — led by Bowling average (16.5 of it), then Bowling strike rate (6.3)
- Geoff Miller
- 56.4 — led by Bowling average (20.4 of it), then Volume (14.0)
Transparent by design
How this ranking was calculated
The list is computed from scorecards, not selected by an AI model. Every player is measured against the same qualified peer population, and the rules below determine the order.
- Build the eligible peer population using the selected format, time window and qualification bars.
- Calculate every batting or bowling factor directly from the matching scorecards.
- Convert each factor to a score against qualified peers, respecting whether higher or lower is better.
- Apply the published weights. If a factor is unavailable, its weight is redistributed across that player's recorded factors.
- Add the weighted factors to produce the verdict score out of 100, then rank from highest to lowest.
Compared with 183 batters who played at least 10 innings.
Compared with 83 bowlers who played at least 10 innings and bowled at least 1,500 balls.
Contribution: total runs or wickets measure output within the selected period.
Fixed-era weighting: longevity is not scored because a player should not be penalised when only part of their career overlaps the era. Its allocation moves to runs or wickets.
Test average magnitude: overall averages use 85% peer position and 15% raw distance from the best qualified average. For bowlers the ratio is reversed because a lower average is better. Contextual averages remain pure percentiles.
Wicket magnitude: career and long-era wicket volume uses 85% peer position and 15% raw distance from the leading qualified wicket total. This preserves the difference between exceptional totals that sit together at the top of a percentile table. Run volume stays a pure percentile, because career run totals vary far more widely and blending raw magnitude there would penalise a short career of outstanding quality.
All-rounders: a player must clear both qualification bars. The batting and bowling verdicts are combined with a geometric mean, preventing one outstanding discipline from completely carrying a weak one.
Editorial scope: this is a transparent judgement model, not an official record table. It does not insert or promote named players, and it applies no blanket era multiplier.