Ranking the Players to Have Made a Century and Took 10 Wickets in a Test

Friday marks 36 years since Ian Botham's incredible feat of taking 10 wickets and scoring a century in a Test match.

He is one of just three players in the history of the game to achieve this special feat, and while it is difficult to rank these milestones, we’ve given it a crack anyway.

This ranking system allows for plenty of subjectivity, so please feel free to add why you agree or disagree in the comments.

3. Shakib Al Hasan vs. Zimbabwe, 2014

One of the most important considerations of this ranking system was the quality of opposition. While Shakib Al Hasan’s feat is impressive, and he is the only player to have done so in the modern era, it came against Zimbabwe in Bangladesh.  

Bangladesh won the second of the three-match Test series in 2014 by 162 runs, with Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal scoring centuries in the first innings before Al Hasan took a five-for in both.

While Zimbabwe did put up something of a fight with centuries from Hamilton Masakadza and Regis Chakabva in the first innings, helping them notch up a total of 368, they collapsed to 151 all out in 51.1 overs after Bangladesh had set the target to win at 314.

This ranking in no way demeans what Al Hasan achieved in that match. He is one of the most prominent modern-day all-rounders and has proved it countless times. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the first cricketer to achieve this feat twice.

2. Imran Khan vs. India, 1983

After considering strength of opposition, the impact of the player's feat also has to come into the equation.

At the beginning of 1983, Pakistan beat visitors India by 10 wickets in the third Test in Faisalabad to take a 2-0 lead in the six-match Test series. Khan took six wickets in the first innings to help dismiss India for 372.

He then became one of four centurions, scoring 117 as Pakistan piled on the runs, amassing 652 runs for their first-innings reply. He added five more wickets to this tally in the second innings as India were dismissed for 286, and Pakistan cruised to victory with just a seven-run target needed.

Khan was an incredible all-rounder. In this match, the value of his bowling can't be denied, especially against a batting lineup with Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Gundappa Viswanath. Khan dismissed two of them (Gavaskar and Vengsarkar), but in an innings with so many centurions, the impact of his overall feat brings him into second place.

The footage above is from the second Test from that series, where Khan took a match 10-for, and, if you've never watched him bowl, it will give you some idea of why he is considered such a legend.

Ian Botham vs India, 1980

Barry Stevens/Associated Press

When it comes to impact, nobody else who has achieved the feat can say their contribution did more to help their side win.

England won the only Test against India in 1980 by 10 wickets as Ian Botham's bowling and batting carried them home almost single-handedly. Batting first, hosts India notched up 242, and Botham took six wickets.

England struggled in the first innings, managing 296 runs, with Botham scoring 114 of those. Not a single other batsman managed to pass the 50-run mark, making his feat all the more remarkable. 

England needed something special, and they got it from their all-round hero. Botham took seven wickets in the second innings as India were skittled out for 149. With a target of 96 to win, Graham Gooch and Geoffrey Boycott knuckled down as Botham got a well-deserved rest.

Botham also managed to achieve this feat away from home, something the other two didn't.