NEW DELHI: Amid fears over the future of Test cricket, a vision for a new format — carrying elements of both the traditional red-ball version and the modern Twenty20 game — has emerged by the name of “Test Twenty”.
The idea was unveiled on Thursday by Indian sports entrepreneur Gaurav Bahirvani, the executive chairman of the One One Six Network, and boasts the patronage of the likes of former stalwarts AB de Villiers, Clive Lloyd, 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 format will be played over 80 overs, featuring two innings of 20 overs per side, with scores carried forward across innings.
Each team bats 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”.
Organisers said players will be assessed on skill, data, and merit through a multi-tiered, analytics-based selection process, leading to an elite auction pool for franchise selection.
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).
Each franchise will be backed by a next-generation celebrity stakeholder (“star-kid”) and fuelled by talent discovered through the annual Junior Test Twenty Championship.
The top 300 players emerging from this stage will advance to the Global Auction Pool, where franchises will draw talent for the inaugural season.
“I genuinely believe this fourth format can add a new dimension to our game,” de Villiers said in a stement. “Many of us have enjoyed the T20 format over the years, but we still hold particular affection for Test cricket — and we want it to be played and enjoyed forever.”
There have been growing concerns over the fate of Test cricket over the last few years with lower-ranked sides struggling to play the format on a regular basis, in stark contrast to India, England and Australia who play five-Test series against each other every two years along with their fixtures with other sides.
The scenario has conceived the idea of a two-tier system, which suggests weaker Test sides fighting for promotion to the top tier. It is yet to e be discussed on an official level.
Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2025
