5 cricketers who made a successful transition from T20s to Tests

Excelling in T20 requires a quick presence of mind. The batsmen are expected to throw their bats at everything while the bowlers are expected to find their line no time. There is no scope for 'settling down' as T20 is all about speed.

Test cricket is exactly the opposite of T20s. Batsmen must bat for long duration, killing the time and amassing a huge score while the bowlers must stick to one area until the batsmen commit the mistake. Test cricket is a game of patience. The one who waits for more time emerges victorious.

These contradictory requirements make Tests and T20s two extremes poles of the same game and hence it is a rarity when a player excels in both formats. Players who succeed in T20s after achieving heights in Tests often credit their smooth transition to the basics they mastered while learning Test cricket.

In the same way, there are a few cricketers who made a successful transition from T20s to Tests. Did they alter their natural game to adjust to the requirements of Tests or did they control their aggression?

Find out their recipes of success by analysing the top five cricketers who made a successful transition from T20s to Tests.

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#5 Stuart Broad

One of the major highlights of the maiden T20 World Cup in 2007 was Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in one over. By slamming six consecutive deliveries into the stands, the Indian batsman immortalised himself in the history of the game.

However, along with Yuvraj one more cricketer who was at the wrong end in making history due to that freak over was Stuart Broad. But, Broad displayed a brave heart and came back strongly.

The English bowler worked on his skills and not only perfected the art of bowling in T20s but also mastered the art of bowling in Tests. His smooth action and raw pace proved effective and in helping conditions, he is able to move the new ball dangerously.

Ten years after the over against Yuvraj, Broad today has become England's premier pacer in all formats and is one of the finest new ball bowlers of this era. He has close to 400 Test wickets to his name along with 178 ODI wickets and his partnership with James Anderson while sharing the new ball has become a legend in cricket.

#4 Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja adapted effectively to Test cricket

One of the heroes of India's U-19 team that won the World Cup in 2008, Ravindra Jadeja's potential was first spotted by Shane Warne. He roped Jadeja in his franchise Rajasthan Royals and the Indian all-rounder performed decently in the IPL.

He was a utility cricketer who could bat a bit in the lower order and could bowl a few overs with his left-arm spin. His acrobatic fielding was a bonus. With all these features, he quickly found a place in India's ODI and T20 team.

However, inconsistency and a string of low performances pushed Jadeja out of the national team and he was back in domestic cricket. But the Saurashtra spinner was back on the radar by slamming three triple-centuries and found a place in India's Test team in 2012.

Since then, he has evolved as one of the finest left-arm spinners in the world and has become a mainstay in India's Test team. He is not a big turner of the ball but his accuracy and ability to bowl on the same spot for an eternity has made him a dangerous threat on any surface.

His exploits in T20 have continued thanks to his control and quick action and at the same time, he has matured in Test cricket as a bowler for all occasions.

#3 Quinton de Kock

De Kock showed his potential in T20s and now has become a regular in all formats

In October 2012, a 19-year-old batsman steered a successful chase against Mumbai Indians in a Champions league game at Johannesburg. Representing Lions, the youngster negotiated the threat of Mitchell Johnson, Lasith Malinga, and Harbhajan Singh to score a match-winning 51* off just 33 balls.

With this knock, Quinton de Kock rose to prominence and his earlier success while representing South Africa U-19 team (he was their highest scorer in the 2012 World Cup) brought him under the scanner.

His aggressive batting and smart glove work forced people to compare him with Adam Gilchrist and soon, de Kock was drafted in South Africa's ODI and T20 teams.

His initial performances were impressive but during the 2014/5 season he lost his mojo and was dropped from the team. However, he came back strongly and filled the vacant spot of wicketkeeper in the Test team.

Since then he has become South Africa's first choice wicketkeeper in all three formats and in the recent Test series has become one of their leading run-scorers.

De Kock's fearless aggression makes him perfect for the limited overs format and he uses the same formula for reaping success in Tests. He plays in the middle order and comes to the crease when the ball becomes old and scores runs quickly.

#2 Ravi Ashwin

Ashwin started as a mystery bowler to become a Test specialist

When off-spinners across the world spent time honing their 'doosras'- the ball that straightens after pitching and is a kind of a googly for an off-break bowler, Ajantha Mendis swirled the cricketing world by introducing the 'carrom ball', a delivery that turns away after pitching.

The astonishing success of the carrom ball made it a potent weapon in an off-spinner's arsenal. A little known off-spinner from Tamil Nadu mastered this delivery and made his name in domestic cricket. He was rewarded for his innovation with a place in Chennai Super Kings' squad where he impressed everyone with his gutsy bowling.

From that point onward, there was no looking back for R Ashwin who swiftly made it into India's limited overs team as well. His accurate bowling and variations made him a mainstay bowler in India's limited overs team and when the retirement of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh's loss of form created a space for a spinner in India's Test team, he filled the spot effectively.

As the carrom ball become redundant, Ashwin worked on the classic weapons of an off-spinner -- the drift and the bounce -- to increase his potency in Test cricket. India's preference for spin-friendly wickets to enjoy home advantage benefited the off-spinner and from 2015, he is the highest wicket-taker in Tests the world.

The rise of Ashwin is an inspiring tale of hard-work and smart innovations that resulted in roaring success.

#1 David Warner

The pocket size dynamite, Warner has evolved effectively

On 11 January 2009, Cricket Australia made the historic decision of including a player in their national team who hadn't played a single first-class game. It was a massive decision and one that was vindicated by the player who slammed 89 runs from 43 balls in his debut T20 game.

That player -- David Warner -- was drafted into national team based on his aggressive batting and powerful hitting. He was the next version of Adam Gilchrist, with better strokeplay and command.

His exploits in T20s and ODIs continued and his inclusion in Test cricket became inevitable. The only question was, did he have the temperament to succeed in the longest version of the game?

He responded affirmatively to the question by slamming a hundred in his fourth Test inning against New Zealand in 2011 and then followed it up with a 159-ball 180 run knock against India in the subsequent series.

He reached the pinnacle in his Test career in 2014 and since then has become the backbone of Australia's Test line-up. He has notched 13 Test hundreds in 38 Tests during that phase to become one of the most consistent Test batsmen across the world.

His batting formula remains the same in both formats- attacking every ball and focusing on runs. However, in Tests, he bats with more calmness and has learned the skill of not throwing away his wicket to good deliveries.