Test verdict list
Best Test All-rounders of the 2000s
Jacques Kallis rises above Shaun Pollock, and the edge holds. Shaun Pollock keeps the better bowling average in Test bowling, 24.77 to 32.00. Jacques Kallis's average in Test batting settles it, 58.71 to 32.56.
South Africa
- Test Batting
- 98.0
- Test Bowling
- 65.2
South Africa
- Test Batting
- 71.0
- Test Bowling
- 84.7
New Zealand
- Test Batting
- 80.7
- Test Bowling
- 68.4
England
- Test Batting
- 76.0
- Test Bowling
- 67.7
New Zealand
- Test Batting
- 77.7
- Test Bowling
- 66.2
Sri Lanka
- Test Batting
- 65.7
- Test Bowling
- 73.1
Australia
- Test Batting
- 59.8
- Test Bowling
- 79.3
Australia
- Test Batting
- 52.0
- Test Bowling
- 89.8
Sri Lanka
- Test Batting
- 81.1
- Test Bowling
- 56.7
India
- Test Batting
- 64.5
- Test Bowling
- 65.6
- Jacques Kallis
- 98.0 — led by Volume (34.9 of it), then Average (29.6)
- Shaun Pollock
- 71.0 — led by Volume (29.2 of it), then Average (19.9)
- Chris Cairns
- 80.7 — led by Average (26.0 of it), then Volume (24.3)
- Andrew Flintoff
- 76.0 — led by Volume (31.5 of it), then Average (20.0)
- Daniel Vettori
- 77.7 — led by Volume (30.7 of it), then Average (22.0)
- Chaminda Vaas
- 65.7 — led by Volume (29.3 of it), then Average (16.6)
- Mitchell Johnson
- 59.8 — led by Volume (21.8 of it), then Average (17.0)
- Shane Warne
- 52.0 — led by Volume (27.1 of it), then Average (11.3)
- Sanath Jayasuriya
- 81.1 — led by Volume (32.5 of it), then Average (23.1)
- Irfan Pathan
- 64.5 — led by Volume (23.5 of it), then Average (19.4)
- Jacques Kallis
- 65.2 — led by Volume (28.4 of it), then Bowling average (18.9)
- Shaun Pollock
- 84.7 — led by Volume (30.8 of it), then Bowling average (26.6)
- Chris Cairns
- 68.4 — led by Bowling average (23.5 of it), then Volume (18.0)
- Andrew Flintoff
- 67.7 — led by Volume (29.1 of it), then Bowling average (18.3)
- Daniel Vettori
- 66.2 — led by Volume (29.4 of it), then Bowling average (17.6)
- Chaminda Vaas
- 73.1 — led by Volume (30.2 of it), then Bowling average (23.2)
- Mitchell Johnson
- 79.3 — led by Volume (26.4 of it), then Bowling average (24.9)
- Shane Warne
- 89.8 — led by Volume (32.7 of it), then Bowling average (26.2)
- Sanath Jayasuriya
- 56.7 — led by Bowling average (22.1 of it), then Volume (18.4)
- Irfan Pathan
- 65.6 — led by Volume (24.1 of it), then Bowling average (18.5)
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 345 batters who played at least 10 innings.
Compared with 149 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.