"Test cricket is very hard, but..." – Ryan Rickelton shares a shocking perspective on T20s

South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton shared a surprising perspective on cricket formats, stating that T20 cricket is harder than Test cricket. While many consider Test cricket the ultimate challenge due to its technical demands and endurance, Rickelton said that batters in T20 cricket face more pressure.

Rickelton, who is set to play the SA20 2025 final for MI Cape Town, has had an impressive season. He scored 303 runs in seven innings at an average of 50.50 and a strike rate of 175.14, including three fifties. Rickelton has played 10 Tests so far, scoring 616 runs at an average of 41.06, including two centuries.

It's Different, But It Is Harder - Ryan Rickelton

Reflecting on his experience, Ryan Rickelton admitted that he initially believed T20 cricket would be easier, thinking it only required aggressive hitting. However, he now finds the shorter format far more challenging due to its high-pressure demands.

"I grew up wanting to be a Test player and thought that in T20, you can just whack a few, but T20 cricket is flipping hard. It's different, but it is harder," Rickelton said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Rickelton, a consistent performer in first-class cricket, faced a dip in form early in his T20 career. However, he worked hard to regain his touch over the past year. His T20 average has since improved to 29.84, with an impressive strike rate of 140.77. Rickelton was the top scorer in the SA20 2024.

There's a Lot More Pressure on Every Delivery - Ryan Rickelton

Ryan Rickelton said that playing in T20 cricket is more challenging than Test cricket. The left-handed batter explained that players can take their time and build innings at a relatively lower intensity in Tests. He added that there's constant pressure to score off every ball in T20s.

"Test cricket is very hard, but with T20s, there's a lot more pressure on every delivery. In Test cricket, you can bide your time and work your way through it at a lower intensity. In T20s, you've got to score [off] every ball," Rickelton said.

"There's always pressure on you, internally, externally, there's a more detailed analysis on you as a player, and against your opposition. They're always trying to hit your weaknesses. There's a lot more to it than it seems," he added.

I Spend a Lot of Time with Hashim Amla - Ryan Rickelton

The 28-year-old credited his recent improvement to advice from his batting coach, Hashim Amla. Rickelton said that Amla’s calm approach to both success and failure had been instrumental after working together for three years.

"I spend a lot of time with Hash. He was a phenomenal player and a calm guy in the way he dealt with his success and his failure, so that's awesome. It's just hard to obviously deal with both sides of the spectrum, but he was an incredible player, and he's a very good coach. Batting is very relationship-based, and having spent three years with him, I can trust his eyes and his perspective as a coach," he said.

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