He is undoubtedly the best all-rounder the game has ever seen.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer picked legendary cricketer, former KKR player, and IPL winner Jacques Kallis as his all-time greatest all-rounder.
In an exclusive chat with Cricxtasy, Venkatesh Iyer took part in a fun rapid-fire round where he was asked to pick between some of the best all-rounders in cricket. His answer remained the same for a while — Hardik Pandya. Whether it was Ravindra Jadeja, Kapil Dev, Andrew Symonds, or Ben Stokes, Iyer backed Hardik every time. But as soon as Jacques Kallis was mentioned, his answer changed instantly.
“Until Jacques Kallis comes in, it’s Hardik Pandya. But the moment Kallis enters the list, it’s him all the way. Jacques Kallis is undoubtedly the best all-rounder the game has ever seen,” Venkatesh Iyer said.
When asked to pick between Kallis and Shane Watson, Iyer did not hesitate and chose Jacques Kallis. He explained that there was no need to think further because Kallis had scored over ten thousand runs and taken more than three hundred wickets. According to Iyer, those numbers clearly show that Kallis is a legendary all rounder.
“Someone who has scored over 10,000 runs and taken more than 300 wickets. He’s a legendary all-rounder, ” Iyer added.
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Jacques Kallis was part of Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 to 2014. During this time, he scored over 400 runs in both the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The 2012 season was especially memorable, as he scored 409 runs and also took 15 wickets. His all round performance played a key role in helping KKR win their first ever IPL title that year. He was also part of the squad that lifted the trophy again in 2014.
Venky Iyer had a tough IPL 2025 season, scoring just 141 runs in seven innings with an average of 20.28. This was a big drop from his performance in IPL 2024, where he played a key role in helping KKR win the title. His form has not been great in the ongoing MP T20 League 2025 either. He has played two matches so far and scored only 26 runs. He will be hoping to find his form again in the upcoming games.
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