- July 28, 2025
Accumulating 1,000 Test runs in one country is already hard to accomplish. Adding also to take 30 wickets in that same country? Even harder. Being able to do both overseas and not even in your home country? That’s an exclusive club. Recently, Ravindra Jadeja now sits in this club along with Wilfred Rhodes and Sir Garry Sobers. Let’s look at each of these three all-rounders who made their mark starting their careers away from home.
The Vintage Versatility of Wilfred Rhodes
Long before cricket had helmets, DRS, or even Twitter debates, Wilfred Rhodes was out there doing the hard yards. From 1899 to 1930, he was England’s go-to man for almost everything—opening the batting, bowling left-arm spin, and fielding like a cat in the slips.
On Australian soil, Rhodes found a home away from home. He scored 1,032 runs in 20 Tests down under, including a tough top score of 179. He also took 42 wickets, including a whopping 15/124 in a match. In a time when pitches were no friendlier to batting than travel was to elite athletes, Rhodes’s ability to quickly adapt or play through difficulty is impressive.
And here’s the thing—he didn’t do it with brute force or modern-day fitness regimens. It was just pure cricketing acumen and an absurdly deep skill set. His all-round efforts helped England wrestle control in tough Australian conditions long before “The Ashes” became the gladiatorial spectacle it is today.
Sir Garry Sobers: Genius at Home, Monster Away
When one thinks of cricketing royalty, it is Sir Garry Sobers. This man could do it all, bat splendidly, bowl seam and spin, and field like an eagle. However, it was on English soil that he showed his full credentials as an all-rounder.
A true magician with the ball and bat: Sir Garry Sobers (1,820 runs and 62 wickets in 21 Tests in England) changed roles like changing clothes. His 1966 tour was the highlight of the cricketing world: 722 runs and 20 wickets, while his Gordon Brown innings led to a West Indies series victory (3-1).
That series was both a crowning achievement in Sobers’ career as well as a testimony to his bravado and skill. His 8/80 said it all. He didn’t just play; he took responsibility and ownership of himself and the team. He was the breezy winds of the Caribbean; his opposition wilted under the grey English skies.
Ravindra Jadeja: India’s All-Round Ace Conquering English Conditions
With his signature sword swinging celebrations and his accurate left-arm spin, Jadeja has quietly put together a very impressive skill set. You can almost see some former legends of the game nodding in approval in the distance.
In just 16 Tests in England, Jadeja has racked up 1,042 runs and 34 wickets—and he’s not done yet. His latest act in Manchester? A determined unbeaten 53 and a crucial 100-run partnership with Washington Sundar that rescued India from the edge.
What differentiates Jadeja’s success from others is how he extended beyond his boundaries. Jadeja was once thought of as a subcontinent specialist, and is now exceptional in seam-friendly home conditions, both as a batter and a bowler. Furthermore, he has also added the quirky fact that this is the first series where he has scored 400 runs (5 fifties) – his best performances with the bat in any Test series. When you add his positive spells with the ball, you have an all-rounder who is not just successful abroad, but with an English team that is thriving.
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