Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja leads the ICC's test all-rounder rankings with Ben Stokes at No 3 and Bangladesh’s off spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz in between them. Australia’s Pat Cummins is at four, followed by the South African Wiaan Mulder, but his statistics are heavily influenced by his 367 not out against Zimbabwe. At No 6 is Marco Jansen, followed by Mitchell Starc, Joe Root and Gus Atkinson.
Most of them are not all-rounders. Cameron Green is the name that all Australians will be screaming, and he is indeed a fine all-round cricketer who can bat with the straightest of blades and bowl with bounce and venom, but he has not bowled in Test cricket since March last year and his Test bowling average (35.31) is higher than his batting figure (34.02). You hope he does not slide down the same path as Shane Watson, whose body proved too fragile to fulfil his promise as an all-rounder.
Australia’s relationship with all-rounders has always been a little different. Miller, Richie Benaud and then Alan Davidson once led the way, but there was a long period when they simply did not need to go looking for one. Having Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne meant a fifth bowler was not required and six specialist batsmen could be selected ahead of the trailblazing Adam Gilchrist as the wicketkeeper at No 7 - an all-rounder in another interpretation of the role.
It could be that for this Ashes, Australia pick two all-rounders in Green and Beau Webster, but England will be happy to select only one in Stokes, at least a fully fit one, because his ability to bowl could determine the series’ destination. Ashes glories at home have been synonymous with all-rounders – Ian Botham in 1981, Andrew Flintoff in 2005 (and Stokes in the drawn series in 2019) - but down under it has been a different tale. Botham played his part in 1978-79 and 1986-87, as did Trevor Bailey in 1954-55, while Tony Greig battled bravely in a heavy defeat in 1974-75, but by and large Australia has been no place for Ashes all-rounders, just as it has been no country for old men.