0
0
Take a look at the top five run-getters in IPL 2025 — Sai Sudharsan, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Mitchell Marsh. What do they all have in common? They’re either established Test players or built on the foundation of classical technique. Even Suryakumar Yadav, known for his 360-degree flair and T20 specialist, succeeded this season by curbing his aggressive instinct to quite an extent and playing more traditional shots. He ended up as the second-highest scorer, just behind Sai.
So let’s stop pretending there’s such a thing as a “T20-only” batting formula. The truth is, when the pressure mounts, it’s not reverse scoops or pre-meditated ramps that bail you out — it’s balance, timing, and shot selection. Fundamentals forged in red-ball cricket are still the bedrock of T20 success.
The noise about needing “T20 specialists” has become a lazy narrative. The IPL 2025 scoreboard doesn’t lie: orthodox technique still wins in a format that supposedly rewards the unorthodox.
It’s not just the batters. Even on the bowling front, IPL 2025 has exposed the myth of the “T20 specialist” that even the bowlers don’t lie. Take a look at the top wicket-takers: Prasidh Krishna, the Purple Cap holder, along with Josh Hazlewood and Trent Boult, are all bowlers with deep roots in Test or red-ball cricket. Their success this season wasn’t built on gimmicks — it was about discipline, accuracy, and understanding the conditions.
Sure, Noor Ahmad, the second-highest wicket-taker, could be called a T20 specialist (because his national team doesn’t play much of Test cricket) — but he’s the exception, not the rule. Even Arshdeep Singh, known for his death-over skills, is in India’s Test squad for the England series, underlining that the best white-ball bowlers are still those who know how to bowl long, smart spells with the red ball.
What IPL 2025 proved yet again is that T20 isn’t just a slam-bang format — it’s a condensed test of temperament and technique. And those who succeed in Tests often end up dominating here too. The myth of the “format specialist” is slowly being dismantled. At the highest level, it’s still the most technically sound and mentally strong players who rise to the top — regardless of the format.
As former India pacer and current match referee Javagal Srinath often says that those who can play the red ball well can always adapt to the white ball. But not the other way around. It’s a line that cuts through all the T20 noise and hype.
This IPL 2025 proved this yet again. From top-order run-getters like Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill to purple cap winners like Prasidh Krishna and Josh Hazlewood, it’s the red-ball pedigree that shone brightest. These aren’t players who made their name with funky shots or mystery variations — they mastered the basics first. And that mastery translated effortlessly into the shorter format. So the bottom line is quite simple: Red-ball cricket builds cricketers while while-ball cricket showcases them!
Excellent analysis of the game. True that it is lazy to say there is a T20 ‘style’. This piece should lay to rest any such understanding
Nice!