Cricket is a game where it's not just being a great batsman, a successful team also has some great bowlers, fielders, and collectively, the team becomes successful.
However, with the rapid developments in the game over the years, the role of a batsman has not remained exclusive to the player who bats in the top and the middle order. Nowadays, even bowlers are elected or picked ahead of other bowlers not solely on their bowling capabilities but by comparing how good each of them can bat.
So today, we'll pick a XI that has only bowlers who didn't fall in the all-rounder category but batted brilliantly on more than one occasion.
Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
He may be known as the 'Sultan of Swing' but he was more than of being labeled as a tailender. Wasim Akram, the name reminds everyone today of a world-class pacer who troubled every batsman who came in his way when going for the stumps.
However, the ones who followed him closely would know that Akram had quite some skills with the bat as well. With over 6000 runs in Tests and ODIs combined, Wasim Akram is the first entry on our list.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)
In the news for quite some time due to his fitness, India's swing sensation Bhuvneshwar Kumar has some records to brag about too. Not just with the ball, but with the bat too.
Bhuvneshwar has some astonishing numbers in first-class cricket and even in international cricket, he has shown quite a few glimpses where he expressed his batting intelligence quite well. Definitely not a tailender!
Anil Kumble (India)
One of the world's greatest and India's best spinners for decades, Anil Kumble has some of his best innings with the bat in his most cherishable moments in the sport.
Kumble not just scored over 5000 first-class runs, but his batting in Tests helped India on multiple occasions. All this coupled with his passion to give everything for his country, people won't forget Anil Kumble's contribution to India's success even with the bat.
Brett Lee (Australia)
Another fast bowler who was one of the fittest, and remarkably swift, Brett Lee also has some amazing numbers with the bat. Lee was lean in his appearance but didn't face many problems while hitting balls out of the park.
Though he was not a player who slogged, Brett Lee was a trustworthy batsman who could hold his wicket from an end, supporting players from the top order who were batting in a great rhythm. Lee did not just have 600+ international wickets, he also had close to 3000 international runs, not bad for a tailender!
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Another lethal pacer who has always been a concern for batsmen that face him, Starc has caused problems for a lot of bowlers as well. His physicality and strength help him play a variety of shots, irrespective of the technique and Starc has shown that he is one of those bowlers who enjoys batting.
Remember, we don't have many bowlers who enjoy their time with the bat.
Harbhajan Singh (India)
Another India but perhaps the closest to be known as an all-rounder, we could say that Harbhajan would be the skipper of this squad. Not because of various factors but just one that this spinner was a beast when it came to hitting the balls as hard as an opener, and no other player in the list was as dominating with the bat as he was.
Tim Southee (New Zealand)
Another underrated gem of the sport, Tim Southee is one player who doesn't get enough appreciation for the contribution he has provided to the sport.
A bowler on paper, Southee had decent skills with the bat too. His batting is one of the biggest reasons why he's successful in the sport even after such a long career.
Jofra Archer (England)
A player who could've represented the West Indies but chose England, Jofra Archer is a great bowler but also one of the hardest hitters of the ball.
Archer has played some out-of-the-world knocks that have made the world believe that the Englishman has skills much more than being identified as a tailender for England.
Stuart Broad (England)
Stuart Broad was very early in his career known as the bowler who was hit for six sixes in major parts of the world. However, Broad looked at the bigger side of it worked hard to become one of England's most prominent bowlers, and made a name that wasn't restricted to only being hit for six sixes.
Broad has some terrific batting skills and his numbers especially in the longest format of the game prove what a great asset he has been for England, also becoming eligible to be in this list.
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
The proteas was a genuine tailender in his early years, but in the recent past and his appearances in the IPL, we have seen a different side of Rabada.
Not just an effective bowler, but a trustworthy hitter of the ball that can hit most of the bowlers out of the ground if he starts well. Rabada's batting has not only helped him but has been a huge plus for South Africa who don't have batsmen who consistently see out innings or have failed multiple times to chase down totals on big occasions.
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)
The first Sri Lankan on the list and the last member of the 11, Vaas possesses some really good numbers for a tailender. Over his glorious career, Vaas contrived to score over 5000 international runs, something you cannot expect from a tailender.
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