5 players who succeeded in formats they weren't expected to

Cricket is all about the unknown and the same player who smashes a 50-ball hundred can struggle to score at a run a ball a few days later. However, cricket fans tend to associate certain players with specific formats.

This is primarily due to their style of playing although several other factors like domestic records and technique also play a role. However, this may not always be the case. Take the example of someone like Michael Bevan, who was expected to star in Test cricket for Australia, but ended up having a rather unceremonious career in the longest format.

On the other hand, there are also certain players who weren’t expected to play well in certain formats but ended up playing starring roles for their respective sides. On that note, take a look at five players who took the cricketing fraternity by surprise with their performances.

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#5 Hashim Amla (South Africa) – T20Is

The legendary South African opener is a key figure for the Proteas in Test and ODI cricket. Known for his ability to occupy the crease for long periods, Hashim Amla is among the modern day greats in the longest format of the game.

However, his selection in the T20 team was often criticised as his style of playing was considered unsuitable for the format. While Amla relies mostly on ground shots, his scoring rate is by no means poor.

The flashy right-hander has scored 1070 runs in 38 T20s at an average of 32.42 with a strike rate of 129.85 which is just shy of AB de Villiers' in the format. Amla was never expected to be so successful in the shortest format of the game, however, he has proved everyone wrong by not compromising on his style of batting.

#4 David Warner (Australia) - Tests

Warner hit the ground running in Test cricket

When the short-statured Australian batsman made a sensational T20 debut against the Proteas at home, he was dubbed as a long term prospect in ODIs and T20s. Warner was considered a perfect replacement for the dynamic Adam Gilchrist and so he proved to be.

But what surprised most cricket fans was his blistering performances in Test cricket. A hard-hitting batsman, Warner wasn't expected to adapt to Test cricket, however, the southpaw has proved his critics wrong in style.

In 61 Tests, Warner has 5309 runs at an average of 48.70 including 18 hundreds. He does not often deviate from his attacking mindset in the longest format of the game although he can play with patience if required. He has even been elevated to the role of vice-captain in Tests and is one of Australia's most reliable batsmen in the format now.

#3 Adam Gilchrist (Australia) - Tests

Gilchrist redefined the role of wicket-keepers in world cricket

Much like David Warner later, Adam Gilchrist started off his career as a swashbuckling opener in ODIs, who could change the course of a match in a few overs. Gilchrist was bullish and had a vast array of shots in his armour.

With Ian Healy a permanent fixture in the Test side and Gilchrist batting freely in ODIs, Australia dominated the world of cricket in the late 19th century. The southpaw was handed the Test keeper's role ahead of Healy in Brisbane, 1999, and was booed by the crowd.

But the sensational wicket-keeper batsman changed the face of Test cricket while batting at No. 7 for the Aussies. His debut innings was a typical 88-ball 81 and he followed that up with several spectacular knocks which are etched into the mind of every cricket fan. He finished with a career average of 47.60 while also affecting 416 dismissals as a keeper, the most by any Australian.

#2 Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) - T20s

Jayawardene had profound success in several T20 leagues around the globe

A technically perfect batsman, Mahela Jayawardene, along with Kumar Sangakkara were the faces of Sri Lankan cricket for more than a decade. The middle order batsman was a stalwart in Tests with 34 hundreds in the format including a mammoth 374.

While Jayawardene was expected to scale new heights in Test and ODI cricket, his T20 success came as a shock to most. A batsman known to rely on ground shots and rotation of strike, the former Sri Lankan skipper was not expected to be able to cope with the demands of T20 cricket.

But legendary batsmen have ways of excelling in every format and Jayawardene proved as much in his 55-match T20 career. He averaged 31.76 in the format and scored a hundred aside from nine half-centuries.

#1 Virender Sehwag (India) - Tests

Sehwag's batting was a sight to behold

This list is incomplete without that man from Delhi who transformed the role of an opening batsman in Test cricket. His attacking batsmanship had opposing captains searching for answers very early in a Test innings. 'Viru' as he is fondly called, enjoyed feasting on anything short and wide which he got in plenty from seamers who searched for swing early on.

He had an illustrious Test career spanning over a decade during which he made 8586 runs in 104 Tests at an average of 49.34. The opener hit two triple hundreds with his uncomplicated style of batting and had a career strike rate of 82.2 which is higher than most players’ ODI strike rates at the time.