MUMBAI (Kashmir English): A new format has emerged by the name of “Test Twenty”, which carries elements of both the traditional red-ball version and the modern Twenty20 game amid fears over the future of Test cricket.
The idea of the ‘fourth format’ was unveiled on Thursday by Indian sports entrepreneur and the executive chairman of the One One Six Network, Gaurav Bahirvani, and boasts the patronage of the likes of former stalwarts Clive Lloyd, AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden and Harbhajhan Singh.
According to a press release, “Test Twenty fuses the strategic depth of Test cricket with the speed and spectacle of T20”.
The ‘Test Twenty’ will be played over 80 overs, featuring two innings of 20 overs per side, with scores carried forward across innings.
Each team would be batting twice, just like in a Test match, while the rules of both Test and T20 cricket will apply, with a few refined adjustments to suit the new format.
“Matches can conclude in a win, loss, tie, or draw, ensuring that every contest retains the full spectrum of cricket’s drama and unpredictability,” the statement further read.
The “Fourth Format” as coined by the people behind it, will, however, be tested first at the youth level, “opening the doors of opportunity to young cricketers aged 13 to 19 from every corner of the world”.
According to the organisers, players will be assessed on data, skill, and merit through a multi-tiered, analytics-based selection process, followed by an elite auction pool for franchise selection.
Test Twenty debuts in January 2026
The first full season of Test Twenty debuts in January 2026, featuring six high profile global franchises — three international (Dubai, London, and a US city) and three Indian (franchise-choice cities).
There have been mounting concerns over the future of Test cricket over the last few years with lower-ranked sides found struggling to play the format on a regular basis, in stark contrast to three naitons as England, India, and Australia who play five-Test series against each other every two years along with their fixtures with other nations. The scenario is yet to e be discussed on an official level.
