Part T20, part Test Cricket: Bold new chapter begins in 2026 with 'Test Twenty'

A bold new chapter in cricket begins in 2026 with the launch of Test Twenty, a hybrid format combining the endurance of Test cricket with the intensity of T20. Each match features four innings of 20 overs, giving both teams the chance to bat and bowl twice, with a maximum of 80 overs per game.

Blending the traditional and modern, Test Twenty applies the rules of both formats with a few refined tweaks to suit this innovative style. Matches can end in a win, loss, tie, or draw, preserving the unpredictability and strategic depth that cricket fans love.

Test Twenty is the brainchild of Gaurav Bahirvani and is supported by cricket legends like AB de Villiers, Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh. The format aims to revolutionise youth cricket through AI-driven talent evaluation, focusing on players aged 13 to 19 from across the globe.

The first full season kicks off in January 2026, featuring six high-profile franchises playingin Dubai, London, a US city, and three Indian cities. Each team will be backed by a next-generation celebrity stakeholder and powered by cutting-edge broadcast technology.

Talent will emerge from the Junior Test Twenty Championship™ (JTTC), the world’s largest youth cricket discovery platform, spanning 50+ countries. Selection is based purely on skill, performance data, and merit, with players advancing through a rigorous, analytics-based process to reach the elite auction pool for franchise drafts.

"It's a bit confusing," says Telford Vice, South Africa correspondent for Cricbuzz.

To listen to Vice in conversation with Lester Kiewit on CapeTalk's Breakfast Show, use the audio player below: