4 players who were labelled as Test players but mastered T20s

T20 cricket is all about fours and sixes. People watch T20 to see batsmen hit the ball out of the ground and this was the primary reason why there was a fear that only big hitters and batsmen who can tonk the ball will survive. The fact that there is very little time for a batsman to settle down, there was a general belief that classical batsmen who play cricket in Test mode and aren't habituated of scoring quick runs, will become irrelevant in T20 cricket.

But this belief has turned into a misconception. Some of the players who were labelled as Test players and who rely more on technique than power, have been highly successful in T20 cricket and in IPL in particular.

These players have showed the importance of good and sound technique. T20 cricket has also changed since it's inception. Teams all over the world have realised that T20 is not all about big hits and that they need players who can construct an inning providing platform for a good score.

Also, these players have improved their own game and have shown the ability to play according to the match situation. They moulded themselves into T20 mode and brought changes in their batting style. Here are 4 such players who were labelled Test cricketers but have aced T20 cricket.

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#4 Mahela Jayawardene

Jayawardene played for a

number

IPL franchises including Delhi Daredevils

Mahela Jayawardene is one of the greatest Sri Lankan cricketers to play the game. Jayawardene has played 149 tests and 448 ODIs for Sri Lanka. He has always been considered as a great test player, but his ODI credentials were never too eye-catching.

The right-hand batsman has a modest average of 33.38 and a mediocre strike-rate of 78.97, because of which people thought he won't be a great T20 player. But he proved everyone wrong. In the 55 T20s that Jayawardene played for Sri Lanka, he scored at an average of 31.77 and an impressive strike-rate of 133.18. He played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's maiden World T20 win in 2014.

The former Sri Lankan skipper also performed exceedingly well for different IPL franchises. Jayawardene reworked on his batting approach in T20 and became an asset for every team he played for.

#3 Jacques Kallis

Kallis played in the top order for KKR

Arguably the greatest all-rounder of the modern era, Jacques Kallis was never considered to be T20 material. Kallis, who had a fantastic Test and ODI record, he was never known for his big hitting ability. His average ODI strike-rate of 72.89 is a testimony of this. However, Kallis did improve his strike-rate when he played in T20I.

Even though he had a decent record in T20s for South Africa, younger players were preferred over Kallis by South African selectors. Kallis' moment in T20 came while playing in the IPL. After playing for RCB in the first three seasons, Kallis was bought by KKR in 2011. Kallis, who was 35 at that time, gave a good account of his fabulous fitness standards and played a pivotal role in KKR's title victory.

Playing at the top order for KKR, Kallis gave the team some blistering starts. He focused more on finding gaps and timing than trying to hit big shots. Currently, Kallis is the head coach of KKR.

#2 Kane Williamson

Williamson showed his class in IPL 2018

Kane Williamson has become a crucial part of New Zealand cricket at a very young age. He impressed everyone with his temperament and composure from the very first match that he played for the Kiwis.

Williamson hasn't looked back since then. He has become the mainstay of New Zealand's batting in all formats. However, there have been questions raised on Kane Williamson, the T20 batsman, lately.

Even though he has played some match-winning innings for New Zealand in T20I, Williamson showed his true class in IPL 2018. Williamson, who captained SRH, ended the season with the Orange Cap. He scored 735 runs with an outstanding average of 52.50 and a fantastic strike-rate of 142.44.

Williamson adjusted to different situations beautifully as he succeeded in constructing the inning as well increasing the run-rate whenever it was required. Williamson has come of age as a T20 batsman.

#1 Michael Hussey

Hussey was an integral part of CSK for a number of years

Michael was a late bloomer in international cricket. He made his international debut at the age of 30 and was regarded as a Test player in the initial part of his career. It is a preconceived notion that with age, a batsman’s reflexes slow and is difficult to score runs freely.

But senior Hussey proved this theory wrong. He just got better with age and adapted to T20 cricket brilliantly. After playing some stunning innings for the Australian team, Hussey went on to become a major success in IPL too. Mr. Cricket, as he is famously called, was crucial to CSK's title victory in IPL 2011.

He reinvented himself as a T20 batsman and found ways of scoring runs in T20 cricket. Hussey also won the Orange Cap in 2013 at the age of 37. He is one of the most successful overseas players in IPL history.