Cricket is set to trial a new format, ‘Test Twenty’, pairing the strategic depth of Tests with the pace of T20s.
Designed to retain the longest format’s tactical nuance while making it more accessible, Test Twenty completes a match in a single day.
Each fixture spans 80 overs, with both teams batting twice, two 20-over innings per side, and first-innings scores carrying into the second to balance aggression with consistency.
The format accommodates all possible outcomes: win, loss, tie, or draw. If the combined scores are level, a Super Over will decide the winner. However, if a team completes its innings with five wickets remaining, it can opt to settle for a draw.
The concept is the brainchild of Gaurav Bahirvani, Founder and CEO of Test Twenty, and was officially launched on Thursday with strong endorsements from cricket legends AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, Harbhajan Singh, and Sir Clive Lloyd, who hailed it as cricket’s “next chapter.”
The format’s first major event, the Junior Test Twenty Championship, is scheduled for 2026, featuring players aged 13 to 19.
The tournament aims to nurture young cricketers by testing their temperament, decision-making, and game intelligence, rather than pure hitting ability.
It will feature six franchises, three from India and three international (based in London, Dubai, and a US city).
Each team will consist of 16 players, evenly divided between Indian and international talent. Player selection will occur via two routes:
Direct Entry: For players recommended by certified cricketers, coaches, or administrators.
Standard Entry: Open trials using AI and motion-sensor technology to ensure fairness.
Players will be evaluated through the Test Twenty Intelligence Index (TTII) — a data-driven system that assesses decision-making, temperament, and cricketing IQ.
Out of 1,000 shortlisted players, 300 will advance, and 96 will be drafted into the founding franchises.
Adding star appeal, the franchises are expected to be co-owned by celebrity and sporting families, described by organisers as those who “grew up with the game in their blood.”
Innovative Rules and Match Dynamics
Powerplay: One per match, lasting four overs, chosen by the captain; if unused, it’s automatically applied between overs 7 and 10 of the second innings.
Follow-on: May be enforced if the second-batting side trails by 75 or more runs after the first innings.
Early Collapse Clause: If a team is bowled out before 10 overs in its first innings, the opposition gains three additional overs.
Bowling Restrictions: A maximum of five bowlers per team, each allowed up to eight overs across both innings.
Wides and No-Balls: Standard T20 rules apply, but three or more in one over trigger a three-run penalty.
Over-Rate Penalty: Teams with slow over-rates will lose five runs and a timeout.
Super Session: In case of a tie, a one-over eliminator decides the result; if still level, the team with more boundaries wins.
