Former South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher recently described fellow countryman A.B. de Villiers as the best batsman in the world at the moment. While there will not be too many people disagreeing with that statement, it is perhaps time we start referring to the versatile player as an all-rounder.
The criteria is simple, excel with both bat and ball and you shall be called an all-rounder. This narrow definition neglects the value players such as A.B. de Villiers bring to the South African team. Not only is he the one of the highest ranked batsman in the world, he also keeps wicket at international level and is regarded by many as the finest fielder in the game, drawing comparisons to the like of Jonty Rhodes. Two test wickets round up the Pretoria-born player’s accolades.
The 21st century has brought many changes to the game of cricket, most notably the introduction of the T20 format. In the midst of all these changes, we have forgotten to evolve our understanding of the roles players perform in a team. A.B. de Villiers is an all-rounder.