5 IPL stars who destroyed the myth that Test batsmen cannot play T20s
Test cricket is considered as the purest form of the game by the cricketing fraternity. The traditional format has been the torchbearer of the gentlemen’s game since the late 1880s. The classical format of the game demands some special skills from the players to flourish.
With time, shorter formats have been introduced to cricket. Twenty20, the newest variant of limited overs cricket was introduced in 2003. It was introduced with the purpose to complete the match within about three hours and also to attract more audience.
Cricket pundits around the world initially predicted that the slam-bang version of the game is only for young players who can experiment with their skills and proper Test batsmen will not become successful in this. They advocated that this format of the game is for the big-hitters and not for those who play the classical brand of cricket.
However, in the Indian Premier League players from around the world, who are known to be proper Test batsmen suited in the T20 format with relative ease. These players proved that with proper cricketing skills a player can be successful in even the shortest format of the game.
Here we are listing out five IPL stars who destroyed the folklore that proper Test batsmen cannot play T20 cricket.
Ajinkya Rahane
The 27-year-old Indian batsman is among one of the more conventional Test cricketers in this modern-era of T20 cricket. In 22 Test matches so far he has scored 1619 runs at an average of 44.97 and also scored six centuries.
The opener, however, has also been very successful in the IPL. The lad from Mumbai has scored five fifties in this year’s tournament so far. In 90 IPL matches so far he has scored 2538 runs at a superb average of 35.25 and with a strike-rate of 120.62.
Rahane has been criticized earlier for his slow and non-risk approach to the game but he answered his critics with his performances. He backed his abilities and plays genuine cricketing shots in the slam-bang T20 league.