Cricket has unveiled its fourth format, Test Twenty, a groundbreaking innovation that merges the tactical depth of Test cricket with the fast-paced intensity of T20. The world’s first 80-over format is set to make its global debut in 2026 with the Junior Test Twenty Championship, a tournament designed exclusively for players aged 13 to 19.
The format, created by Gaurav Bahirvani, Founder and CEO of Test Twenty, was officially launched with endorsements from cricket legends including AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, Harbhajan Singh, and Sir Clive Lloyd.
Format Features and Rules
Each Test Twenty match consists of two innings of 20 overs per team, with first-innings scores carried into the second. Matches are completed in a single day, with outcomes including win, loss, tie, or draw. Tied games move to a Super Session, a one-over eliminator, while draws are conditional based on wickets lost in the second innings.
Other innovative rules include a Powerplay, follow-on enforcement, early collapse clause, bowling restrictions, cumulative penalties for wides and no-balls, and over-rate time control.
Franchises and Global Selection
The Junior Test Twenty Championship will feature six founding franchises, three international and three Indian, co-owned by the next generation of sports icons and global personalities. Player selection will follow two routes: Direct Entry, recommended by coaches or cricketers, and Standard Entry, using an AI-powered global scouting system to ensure transparent, merit-based selection.
From the trials, a National and World Pool of 1,000 players will be formed. The top 300 will enter the Global Auction Pool, where franchises draft 96 players, while the remaining 204 join the Wildcard Pool. The Test Twenty® Intelligence Index™ (TTII) will assess players on skill, decision-making, and temperament.
Test Twenty promises to provide young cricketers worldwide a platform to showcase talent in a unique and competitive environment, potentially redefining the future of cricket.
