Does this hypothetical Test allrounder exist?

[shortpitched713]

Batting average >= 39.00
Bowling average <= 31.00
WPM >= 2.00

On their own these are each relatively attainable benchmarks, but together I don't think it's ever been attained. Mind, I think the minimum player achieving this ends up being meaningfully worse of a player than say a Jacques Kallis or Shaun Pollock anyway but it's still curious that it seemed to never happen.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Batting average >= 39
Bowling average <= 31
WPM >= 2

On their own these are each relatively attainable benchmarks, but together I don't think it's ever been attained. Mind, I think the minimum player achieving this ends up being meaningfully worse of a player than say a Jacques Kallis or Shaun Pollock anyway but it's still curious that it seemed to never happen.

Aubrey Faulkner

 

[sayon basak]

Aubrey Faulkner

Good old days when Shakib used to be there.

 

[Thala_0710]

Batting average >= 39
Bowling average <= 31
WPM >= 2

On their own these are each relatively attainable benchmarks, but together I don't think it's ever been attained. Mind, I think the minimum player achieving this ends up being meaningfully worse of a player than say a Jacques Kallis or Shaun Pollock anyway but it's still curious that it seemed to never happen.

Aubrey Faulkner has done it. Sundar, if he retires today would have it and Alan Fairfax has it too although both of them have only played around 10 tests.
Faulkner has 25 tests only as well

 

[capt_Luffy]

Aubrey Faulkner has done it. Sundar, if he retires today would have it and Alan Fairfax has it too although both of them have only played around 10 tests.
Faulkner has 25 tests only as well

I think Faulkner fits the essence of the question, alongside Shakib and Miller (though bowling output is way higher).

 

[Qlder]

Ian Botham did it for his first 25 Tests (same total tests as Faulkner)

Botham: 1336 runs @ 40.48 and 139 wkts @ 18.52, 5.6 wpm

Faulkner: 1754 runs @ 40.79 and 82 wkts @ 26.58, 3.3 wpm

 

[Qlder]

Tony Greig was real close.

3599 runs @ 40.49, 141 wkts @ 32.20, 2.4 wpm

 

[shortpitched713]

I think Faulkner fits the essence of the question, alongside Shakib and Miller (though bowling output is way higher).

Miller falls short due to batting requirement.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Miller falls short due to batting requirement.

Yeah he underperformed in Tests. Still less than 2 runs gap though.

 

[shortpitched713]

Mushtaq Muhammad falls far afoul of the WPM requirement, otherwise he would get it.

Also, my intention was was that 31.x should not meet the bowling average criteria (have updated OP accordingly) so Greig and Shakib aren't quite as close as one might think.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah Shakib was averaging 39+ with bat and 31 with ball after 60 tests

 

[Silver Silva]

Imran Khan averaging 37 with the bat and 22 with the ball @4 WPM is better than these parameters ..

 

[shortpitched713]

Tony Greig was real close.

3599 runs @ 40.49, 141 wkts @ 32.20, 2.4 wpm

Originally built the reqs around Mushtaq Muhammad, Imran Khan, and Tony Greig so knew he would fall just short.

 

[trundler]

Yeah he underperformed in Tests. Still less than 2 runs gap though.

He didn't underperform in tests. Shield wickets were just really flat and all rounders take a hit in one discipline in tests compared to FC every time.Noble, Armstrong, Davidson and Benaud all had much better FC batting records.

 

[Qlder]

Yeah Shakib was averaging 39+ with bat and 31 with ball after 60 tests

He never once met the exact criteria (batting >=39, bowling <=31) in his whole career though. It's almost like the criteria was chosen specifically to exclude him by the smallest margin

The closest he came was in 61st test, batting 39.17, bowling 31.03

 

[sams daneal]

Batting average >= 39.0
Bowling average <= 31.0
WPM >= 2.0

On their own these are each relatively attainable benchmarks, but together I don't think it's ever been attained. Mind, I think the minimum player achieving this ends up being meaningfully worse of a player than say a Jacques Kallis or Shaun Pollock anyway but it's still curious that it seemed to never happen.

Prime imran Khan.

 

[sams daneal]

Batting average >= 39.0
Bowling average <= 31.0
WPM >= 2.0

On their own these are each relatively attainable benchmarks, but together I don't think it's ever been attained. Mind, I think the minimum player achieving this ends up being meaningfully worse of a player than say a Jacques Kallis or Shaun Pollock anyway but it's still curious that it seemed to never happen.

Jadeja close

 

[Athlai]

He never once met the exact criteria (batting >=39, bowling <=31) in his whole career though. It's almost like the criteria was chosen specifically to exclude him by the smallest margin

The closest he came was in 61st test, batting 39.17, bowling 31.03

I mean no, <= 31 and >= 39 specifically includes him. <31 and >39 would exclude.

 

[capt_Luffy]

He didn't underperform in tests. Shield wickets were just really flat and all rounders take a hit in one discipline in tests compared to FC every time.Noble, Armstrong, Davidson and Benaud all had much better FC batting records.

I know but also feel Miller was a more talented batsman than his output and would be 40+ averaging with a tad bit more discipline. FTR, I do think Noble is the best bat or the lot and averages high 30s/low 40s in most eras and Armstrong averages a not too shady 38 pre War.

 

[shortpitched713]

Imran Khan averaging 37 with the bat and 22 with the ball @4 WPM is better than these parameters ..

Yup, so is Garry Sobers at 58 , 34 and 2.5 WPM. That's not really the point of this thread. It's interesting that there's never been a true middle ground between those superlative batting all-rounder / bowling all-rounder levels, even if you set the bar as modestly as I did.

As noted by other posters Faulkner reaches it, but he did play a damn long time ago.