World Cup 2015: All-rounders to watch-out for

The all-important ICC Cricket World Cup is less than 100 days away and the excitement for cricket’s most coveted tournament is growing day by day.

Here is the list of top 5 all-rounders in the tournament:

SHANE WATSON

Shane Watson is one of the best all-rounders in limited overs cricket at the moment. Although, he hasn’t played much One Day International (ODI) cricket in the last 10 months or so, he will be keen to get out in the middle and show his class in front of his home crowd. Watson has played 173 ODIs for Australia and scored 5256 runs at a healthy average of 41.06. Watson’s biggest strength is his raw power and Australia would be hoping that he gives them aggressive starts at the top of the order. Talking about his bowling, Watson has picked 163 wickets in 173 matches at an economy of 4087. In the World Cup 2015, Watson will be one of Australia’s key players and his good form will be a key factor for Australia.

COREY ANDERSON

Corey Anderson is one of the most exciting young talents in the world at the moment. He became an overnight sensation after he scored the fastest ODI hundred in international cricket, breaking Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record. In his short ODI career so far, Anderson has scored 425 runs at an average of 42.50. Just like Watson, Corey Anderson’s biggest strength is also his raw-power. He is someone who backs himself to clear the ground at any given situation of the match, and this makes him a very dangerous batsman for any opposition. Anderson is also a very handy bowler and he can easily play the role of a fifth bowler, allowing New Zealand to play an extra batsmen. The 2015 World Cup will be Anderson’s first World Cup and he would be keen on making a big impact.

RAVINDRA JADEJA

India’s Ravindra Jadeja is a very underrated batsman. In 2014 (so far), Jadeja averages around 60 in ODI cricket. Batting at No. 7, Jadeja has played some very crucial knocks for India. Although, Jadeja is facing tough competition from Axar Patel, he will India’s first-choice all-rounder in the 2015 World Cup. In 109 ODIs, Jadeja has 1691 runs at an average of 34.51, and he has taken 134 wickets at an economy of 4.79.

DWAYNE BRAVO

Dwayne Bravo is a very intelligent medium-fast bowler and a very useful middle-order batsman. As a batsman, Bravo’s biggest strength is to counter-attack when the chips are down. He is capable of smashing the big hits, but he can also bat patiently and change his game according to the need of the situation. Bravo is also a very clever bowler, who relies on subtle change of pace and variation to out-think the batsmen. If West Indies can manage to solve the ongoing dispute between the players and the board, Dwayne Bravo will lead West Indies in the 2015 World Cup and he will surely be the all-rounder to watch out for.

RAVI BOPARA

Ravi Bopara is arguably one of the most underrated players in the world at the moment. England have often ignored him for the likes of Tim Bresnan and others. Bopara is a very intelligent cricketer and his ability to keep his cool while chasing big totals is something that stands out. England are not being looked as a strong contender in the 2015 World Cup, but big tournament like World Cup are all about creating a momentum, and an early win in the tournament can do it for England. Ravi Bopara, who has played 108 ODIs for England will be one of the key members of the England squad and his all-round abilities will play a crucial role for England in the 2015 World Cup.