Top 5 greatest performances by a visiting all-rounder in a Test in India ft. Marco Jansen

India can be a fickle place for visiting all-rounders, depending on the type. Spin bowling all-rounders are always valued by a team since they can exploit the conditions and bring batting depth as well. As far as pace bowling all-rounders are concerned, only the best of the best are capable of making it to the usual spin-heavy playing XI and make the most of the conditions that are inherently not in their favor.

However, visiting all-rounders of all kind have had some degree of success in India, often frustrating the hosts. Their contribution with bat often stretches the total, while their jobs in assisting the frontline bowlers is always welcome and appreiated.

Whether it be using the dry surfaces and the rough patches or bringing reverse swing into play, there is always room for an all-rounder to thrive with the ball in India.

On that note, let us take a look at the top 5 greatest performances by a visiting all-rounder in a Test in India.

#1 Marco Jansen (India vs South Africa; 2nd Test, 2025, Guwahati, 93; 6-48 and 1-23)

The South Africa all-rounder delivered a rare masterclass as a seam bowler in subcontinent conditions after bagging seven wickets in the second Test against India. The tall pacer made the most of a red soil wicket to leave Indian batters with his highly targeted bouncers.

Jansen used the conditions to such good effect that he was able to claim a six-wicket haul in the first innings, inducing the batters to play poor, flase strokes and set the game up well for the spinners to run over in the final innings.

Apart from his heroics with the ball, Jansen played a huge role in South Africa setting up a mammoth first innings total of 489. The right-handed batter frustrated the Indian bowlers while batting with the lower order, but unfortunately missed out on a well-deserved hundred by seven runs.

#2 Ian Botham (India vs England; 1st Test, 1980, Mumbai; 114; 6-58 and 7-48)

The legendary England all-rounder put in one of the most dominant displays by a visiting player during the famous 10-wicket win in the 1980 Test at the Wankhede Stadium.

Dismissing the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev in the first innings, he ran through the Indian batting unit to reduce them to 242. In reply, England were struggling at 58-5, but Ian Botham brought the visitors back into the contest with a stunning 114 to help the team clinch a valuable 54-run lead.

He went on to pick up seven wickets in the second innings, taking his tally to 13 for the contest, to bundle out India for just 149 runs.

#3 Nicky Boje (India vs South Africa, 2nd Test, 2000, Bengaluru, 82; 2-10 and 5-83)

Before Marco Jansen's heroics against India in Guwahati, it was South Africa spinner Nicky Boje, who frustrated the Men in Blue with his all-round performance. In the second Test of the Proteas' tour of India in 2000, Boje picked up two wickets in the first innings where the hosts were bundled out for just 158 after electing to bat first.

However, Boje's heroics only begun when South Africa came into bat. After coming in as a nightwatchman at the end of Day 1 following Herschelle Gibbs' dismissal, the left-arm spinner put on a show with the bat at No.3. He scored 85 runs off 198 deliveries, putting on 161 runs with Gary Kirsten to set the foundation for South Africa's 479-run total.

In the second innings, he dismissed India's top three, eventually ending with figures of 5-83 after bowling 38 overs.

#4 John Bracewell (India vs New Zealand; 2nd Test, 1988, Mumbai, 52 and 32; 2-81 and 6-51)

Uncle of New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell, Doug Bracewell was also a off-spinner all-rounder like his nephew. During the Blackcaps' tour of India in 1988, they had sustained a 172-run loss in the series opener in Bengaluru, where Bracewell scored just three runs and ended wicket-less.

He made amends for it in the second Test, starring the show by being the top scorer with a crucial first innings fifty while batting at No.9 to stretch the total to 236.

Bracewell dismissed the middle-order duo of skipper Dilip Vengsarkar and Mohammad Azharuddin, and then chipped in with a crucial 32 in the second innings as well. Defending a target of 282 in the final innings, Bracewell ran through the Indian unit to pick up six wickets to bowl India out for just 145.

#5 Carl Hooper (India vs West Indies; 2nd Test, 194, Nagpur, 81 and 67; 5-116 and 2-62)

The former West Indies all-rounder had a memorable outing during the Test series against India in the subcontinent close to 21 years ago. Hooper dismissed the Indian top three, and clinched two more wickets on a flat surface as they piled on 546-9 in the first innings.

Coming into bat at 155-4 after Brian Lara's departure, Hooper chipped in with a valuable 81 as well, putting on 133 runs for the fifth wicket with Jimmy Adams.

He picked up a couple of wickets in the second innings, before chipping in with yet another fifty as the contest ended in a drab draw.