5 T20 specialists who performed surprisingly well in Test cricket

Test cricket is all about temperament and determination, with players needing a specific skill set to succeed in the longest format of the game. The Advent of T20 cricket though has changed the way players approach the game. In the era of big bats and small boundaries, it is a high-risk no holds barred approach that yields the most success.

As a result, players are increasingly drifting away from the classical elements of the sport preferring to shape their games and hone their techniques to yield instant success in T20 leagues across the world.

In recent years many players have become T20 mercenaries; their services being coveted by franchises across the globe. However, despite their obvious prowess in the shortest format, they have found ways to remain relevant when donning the whites as well.

Here are five T20 specialists who performed surprisingly well in Test cricket.

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Jasprit Bumrah

When Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah first burst on to the scene in the IPL, not many gave him a chance of making it to the next level. But, the youngster impressed everyone in T20s and was called up to the Indian T20I side.

He got his career off to a fantastic start as he started taking wickets for fun in T20Is and was called up to the Indian ODI side. In quick time, he established himself as the best death bowler in both the formats. He finished his maiden year in international cricket, 2016, as the leading wicket-taker in T20Is and had put on some impressive performances in the ODI format as well.

He carried on his good form to 2017 and once again showed everyone that he belongs to the international level by delivering for Virat Kohli and co. on a consistent basis with the white ball. However, his maiden Test call-up came as a surprise to many and when he was named in the Indian Test squad, many wrote him off even before he bowled his first ball in the format.

But, the Gujarat pacer bowled brilliantly in South Africa earlier this year and continued his good red ball form to England where he was one of the stars in India's win in the third Test.

In the four matches he has played so far, Bumrah has taken 21 wickets at an average of 22.61 and has adapted to the format like fish to water. With his heroics, Bumrah, who came into the scene as a T20 specialist, has made a name for himself in Test just after playing four Test matches.

Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler

Without a doubt, Jos Buttler is one of the best finishers in ODIs at the moment. The wicketkeeper-batsman impressed everyone with his T20 batting for Somerset and then Lancashire and was called into the English T20I side as a 20-year-old.

Buttler showed why he is a dangerous player in the format as he tore apart bowling attacks in the world. After being promoted as an opener, he took consistency to a whole new level and is surely on his way to greatness not only in T20Is but also the ODI format.

The same cannot be said about Test cricket as he was dropped from the side after a poor start to his career before he was given a lifeline earlier this year after his heroics in the IPL. Since making a comeback, Buttler has looked good as he scored two fifties and three centuries in five matches. One can surely say that he has cemented his place in the English Test side with his recent performances. With the talent he possesses, he can easily go on to become England's go-to batsman across all three formats.

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya

One cricketer who gets criticized often is all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Hardik's rise in cricket has been phenomenal as he made a mark for himself in the domestic circuit, impressed in IPL and then went on to play Test cricket for India, all in a space of just over two years. The fact that India were in a dire need of a fast-bowling all-rounder has been a big factor in the all-rounder making it to the Indian side.

He started off as a T20 specialist before he was drafted into the Test team to provide stability to the side. Since then, he has been impressive as he has scored 528 runs in 10 matches at an average of 35.20 with four fifties (one is South Africa and one in England) and a solitary ton with the bat. With the ball, he bowled decently in the limited opportunities he got as he has accounted for 16 wickets at an average of 27.68 including a five-wicket haul in his last game.

Hardik has been doing well in the format and has already cemented his place in the Test side after coming in as a T20 specialist.

David Warner

David Warner

Not many know that when David Warner made his international debut for Australia, which is a T20I against South Africa at the MCG in 2009, he didn't a single FC game for his career and was picked after his consistent performances in the T20 format.

The left-hander showed why he is considered as a special player in the format as he kept scoring runs for Australia on a consistent basis. He was named in the Australian squad for the subsequent ODI series and a failure meant that he was dropped from the side.

When many termed him as a T20 specialist and wrote him off even before he made his debut in Tests, Warner was given a surprise call-up into the Australian Test squad and the rest is history as the southpaw has established himself as one of the greatest Australian openers to play Tests.

Warner has gone on to represent his nation in 74 Tests and has scored 6363 runs at an average of 48.20 and is the batting mainstay of the current Australian team along with his skipper Steve Smith. Who would have thought this way back in 2009?

R Ashwin

R Ashwin

R Ashwin's name on the list might come as a surprise to many as the Indian off-spinner is one of the greatest spinners to have played the sport in the country. With over 350 wickets, Ashwin is third behind Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble in the list of leading wicket-takers by Indian spinners in Tests.

But, Ashwin was initially picked in the side as a T20 specialist after his heroics in the IPL and the Champions League T20. He was fantastic for Tamil Nadu but broke into the team as a T20 specialist and was later given his maiden Test call-up in 2011. He always had everything in him to be a good spinner in Tests but he had to prove himself in the shortest format to get his place in the longer formats.

He has been impressive in Tests since his debut and has gone on to establish himself as a specialist Test player as the offie is not a part of the current Indian limited-overs sides.