Andre Russell to Liam Livingstone: Did You Know These IPL STARS Played Test Cricket?

It all starts with a ‘Did you know that he played Test cricket?’, and ends with ‘Whaaat, really?’. 

If you are a fan of that genre of cricketing facts, then this article is perfectly suited for you, as we have come up with a list of high-profile IPL stars (active) who have played Test cricket. 

The list doesn’t include the most famous ones, but the ones whose Test debut you probably don’t remember. 

Will Jacks

Despite being known as a white-ball specialist, Will Jacks has had a surprising foray into Test cricket for England. MI’s star all-rounder made his Test debut as a bowling all-rounder in Pakistan, where he played two matches for the Three Lions.

His Test career began memorably, as he claimed figures of 6/169 in his first-ever Test innings, but went wicketless after that. However, he struggled to make a significant impression with the bat, scoring only 89 runs across two Tests, with a highest score of 31.

Jacks is nowhere close to England’s Test setup, three years on.

Andre Russell

Many know Sunil Narine played Test cricket, but few remember Andre Russell's brief stint. At just 22, Russell made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010. 

However, it was a match to forget — he scored only two runs and took a single wicket at a staggering average of 104.00, which is likely why his Test career isn't well-known.

Maheesh Theekshana

Maheesh Theekshana has played two Tests, and I’m sure it should shock you. In one week, the mystery spinner played his Tests, one against Australia and the other against Pakistan. 

Across the two Tests, Theekshana was barely effective, picking up five wickets, averaging 37.60. But the shocking aspect is that the RR spinner’s best batting score is 38 in Tests, which came against Pakistan. 

Liam Livingstone

Surprisingly, Liam Livingstone, an England T20 superstar, has played Test cricket. More shocking was his performance in that single Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

Selected as a batting all-rounder, Livingstone had a forgettable outing. He was dismissed for nine runs off 21 balls in an innings where England scored 657. The all-rounder sustained an injury in the match and has not received a Test call-up since.

Suryakumar Yadav

The curious cause of Suryakumar Yadav’s call-up is a tale in itself. 

Out of nowhere, India selected the Mumbai middle-order batter and gave him his Test debut against Australia in Nagpur. While he hinted at his attacking nature with a boundary off his second ball, his debut ultimately fell flat. He was only able to score eight runs off 20 deliveries.

As surprising as the debut was, Suryakumar has not earned another red-ball call-up for the Indian team since.