3 world-class Test players who are underrated in T20 cricket
Several Test specialists haven't been able to crack the T20 code. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and James Anderson, who are among the best-ever red-ball players, aren't renowned for their prowess in the shortest format of the game.
Conventional wisdom dictates that Test players, at least those of the classical variety, aren't entirely suited to T20 cricket. The perception of their performances in the 20-over format is thus sometimes clouded by prejudice, when in reality they are more than capable of holding their own.
Here are three world-class Test players who are underrated in T20 cricket.
#3 Ravichandran Ashwin
With 449 wickets from 88 Tests at an average of 24.3, Ravichandran Ashwin is the ninth-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game. To go with his wickets haul, the wily off-spinner has scored over 3,000 runs at an average of 27.41 with as many as five hundreds to his name.
Ashwin, though, is rather underrated in T20 cricket. Although he has played the last two T20 World Cups for India, his selection in the format has always been a topic of hot debate over the last couple of years. The 36-year-old is viewed as a bowler who can hold his own from one end but isn't necessarily a match-winner.
But Ashwin's T20 record is decent, and more importantly, he has adapted himself to the ever-changing requirements of the modern game. He has 287 wickets at an economy rate of 6.97 in his T20 career and has advanced his batting significantly, as evidenced by his recent Indian Premier League campaign with the Rajasthan Royals.
Ashwin may not be regarded as one of the greatest T20 bowlers of all time, but is definitely underrated in the format. His all-round contributions and smarts make him one of the handiest T20 cricketers going around right now.
#2 Steve Smith
Steve Smith's Test record speaks for itself. An average of 60.9 across 92 matches is no mean feat, with 30 hundreds as part of his 8,647 runs in the format. In T20 cricket, though, the Aussie isn't considered to be particularly potent.
Smith was dropped from the Australian side in the lead-up to the last edition of the T20 World Cup and hasn't been a regular at the IPL level as well. As someone whose strike rate and shot-making ability have been questionable, the right-handed batter is a work in progress in the shortest format.
Smith has 5,150 T20 runs from 211 innings at an average of 31.02 and a strike rate of 127.6. He has scored 346 runs from five innings in the BBL 2022-23 season, with an average of 86.5 and a strike rate of 174.74. The Sydney Sixers man smacked both pace and spin during his consecutive hundreds and will be in action once again on February 2.
Smith isn't in the same league as Virat Kohli, for example, in the T20 format. But he's certainly a handy batter who seems to be taking big strides.
#1 Tim Southee
Tim Southee is New Zealand's third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. The wily fast bowler has 353 scalps from 90 matches at an average of 29.1 and will soon leapfrog Daniel Vettori on the list.
Southee hasn't always been a potent T20 bowler, but he has become a consistent performer over the last few years without much recognition for the same. Since the start of 2020, the Kiwi has amassed 90 wickets from 60 matches at an economy rate of 7.9. However, you probably won't find him mentioned in any best XIs.
Southee, who has 282 T20 wickets to his record, could end his career as one of the greatest all-format bowlers of all time.