Sixer all-rounder selection · the role that compounds batting and bowling
The desk's longform guide on the all-rounder role. The guide walks through the role ceiling, the per-format arithmetic and the desk's three rules for picking an all-rounder in a fantasy cricket squad.
What this guide covers
This guide walks through the role of the all-rounder in a fantasy cricket squad. The guide is a long-form read for readers who want to understand why all-rounders compound batting and bowling points under a single 1.0x multiplier, not just why they win contests. The guide is published as a single HTML page, designed for slow reading with a notebook, and walks through the role ceiling, the per-format arithmetic and the desk's three all-rounder selection rules.
The role ceiling
An all-rounder's role ceiling is the maximum points the player can contribute from a single phase of the match. In T20 cricket, an all-rounder who bowls four overs cannot take more than four wickets, so the bowling points ceiling is 100 (4 × 25 points per wicket) plus the LBW/bowled bonuses (up to 8 per wicket) plus the maiden-over bonuses (up to 4 per maiden). The realistic bowling ceiling for a T20 all-rounder is 60 to 80 points. In ODI cricket, the all-rounder bowls eight to ten overs, so the bowling ceiling is 150 to 200 points. In Test cricket, the all-rounder bowls 15 to 25 overs across two innings, so the bowling ceiling is 250 to 400 points across the match.
The batting ceiling is a function of the expected balls faced. A T20 all-rounder who bats at No. 5 or No. 6 in the death overs faces 12 to 25 balls; the batting ceiling is 35 to 60 points (including boundary bonuses and strike-rate bonuses). An ODI all-rounder who bats at No. 5 or No. 6 faces 30 to 60 balls; the batting ceiling is 60 to 120 points. A Test all-rounder who bats at No. 6 or No. 7 faces 100 to 200 balls across two innings; the batting ceiling is 100 to 250 points.
Why the role ceiling matters
The role ceiling matters because the all-rounder slot is the highest-leverage non-captain decision in any fantasy squad. A T20 all-rounder at the role ceiling contributes 60 + 50 = 110 points at a salary of ₹ 9.5 L, for a per-point cost of ₹ 0.086. A frontline T20 bowler at the role ceiling contributes 80 points at ₹ 8.5 L, for a per-point cost of ₹ 0.106. A frontline T20 batter at the role ceiling contributes 70 points at ₹ 9 L, for a per-point cost of ₹ 0.129. The all-rounder's per-point cost is materially lower than either frontline option, which is why the desk recommends at least one all-rounder in every T20 squad.
Three all-rounder profiles
Profile one: the seam-bowling all-rounder at a batting-friendly venue (Wankhede, M. Chinnaswamy). Expected points: 35 batting (including a six bonus and a strike-rate bonus) + 40 bowling (1.5 wickets at 25 each + 1 maiden over at 4) = 75 points. Per-point cost ₹ 0.127 at ₹ 9.5 L. Profile two: the spin-bowling all-rounder at a turning venue (Chepauk, Narendra Modi). Expected points: 22 batting + 48 bowling (2 wickets at 25 each + 8 LBW bonus + 1 maiden at 4) = 70 points. Per-point cost ₹ 0.136 at ₹ 9.5 L. Profile three: the part-time off-spin all-rounder at a balanced venue (Eden Gardens, Arun Jaitley). Expected points: 28 batting + 18 bowling (0.7 wickets at 25 + 1 catch at 8) = 46 points. Per-point cost ₹ 0.217 at ₹ 10 L.
All-rounder selection checklist
- Confirm the player's role: seam, spin or part-time.
- Check the player's expected overs at the venue (4 in T20, 8 in ODI, 15 to 25 in Test).
- Read the player's last five innings at the venue, not the career profile.
- Compute the all-rounder's batting points and bowling points separately.
- Check the player's salary as a percentage of the squad cap (under 11 percent is the desk's rule).
- Cross-check the franchise's rotation policy before locking the slot.
Related reading
Read the all-rounders hub page for the desk's role-by-role reading, the captain pick arithmetic guide for the 2.0x multiplier walkthrough, and the salary cap guide for the per-point cost walkthrough.
All-rounder selection · FAQ
How many all-rounders should a fantasy squad carry?
The desk recommends one to two all-rounders in a T20 squad, two to three in an ODI squad and three to four in a Test squad. The count is a format-specific decision, not a single rule. The desk recommends reading the venue and the rotation policy before locking the count.
Is an all-rounder always worth more than a frontline bowler?
No. A frontline bowler at a turning venue who bowls eight overs in an ODI can take four wickets at a bowling-points ceiling of 100, while a bowling all-rounder who bowls four overs in a T20 can take two wickets at a bowling-points ceiling of 50. The desk scores each slot against its format-specific ceiling, not against a generic rule.
What is a part-time all-rounder?
A part-time all-rounder is a frontline batter who bowls two to four overs in a match (often a part-time off-spin option) or a frontline bowler who bats in the lower order. The desk scores a part-time all-rounder at a lower role ceiling than a designated all-rounder and treats the part-time role as a budget-saver slot.
Does the captain multiplier compound differently for an all-rounder?
Yes. A captain who is an all-rounder compounds the 2.0x multiplier across both the batting points and the bowling points, so the captain-multiplier contribution is materially higher for an all-rounder captain than for a pure-batter captain. The desk treats the all-rounder captain as the highest-leverage pick in any contest.