Cricket set to adpot a new Test Twenty format

A new format called Test Twenty is about to introduce in Cricket, which blends the strategy of Test cricket with the fast-paced excitement of T20 matches.

The idea behind Test Twenty is to keep the thoughtful and tactical style of Test matches while making the game shorter and easier to watch. Each match will be completed in a single day, lasting 80 overs in total. Both teams will bat twice — two innings of 20 overs each — and the first innings’ runs will carry over to the second, encouraging teams to balance smart play with attacking intent.

All standard outcomes — win, loss, tie, or draw — are possible. If the total scores are equal after both innings, a Super Over will determine the winner. However, if a team ends its innings with at least five wickets remaining, it can choose to settle for a draw.

The concept was created by Gaurav Bahirvani, Founder and CEO of Test Twenty, and officially launched on Thursday. It received strong support from cricket legends AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, Harbhajan Singh, and Sir Clive Lloyd, who called it cricket’s “next chapter.”

The first major event, the Junior Test Twenty Championship, is planned for 2026 and will feature players aged 13 to 19. The goal is to help young players develop their temperament, decision-making, and game sense, rather than just focusing on power hitting.

There will be six teams in the tournament — three from India and three international teams based in London, Dubai, and a U.S. city. Each team will have 16 players, half from India and half from abroad. Players will be selected in two ways:

• Direct Entry: For players recommended by certified cricketers, coaches, or administrators.
• Standard Entry: Through open trials that use AI and motion-sensor technology to ensure fair assessment.

Player performance will be measured using the Test Twenty Intelligence Index (TTII) — a data system that evaluates a player’s decision-making, mindset, and cricket intelligence. Out of 1,000 shortlisted players, 300 will move forward, and 96 will be drafted into the first group of franchises.

Adding a touch of star power, the teams are expected to be partly owned by celebrities and well-known sporting families, described as those who “grew up with cricket in their blood.”

Key Rules and Features

• Powerplay: One per match, lasting four overs, chosen by the captain. If not used, it automatically applies between overs 7 and 10 of the second innings.
• Follow-On: Allowed if the second-batting team trails by 75 runs or more after the first innings.
• Early Collapse Rule: If a team is bowled out before 10 overs in its first innings, the opposition receives three extra overs.
• Bowling Limits: Up to five bowlers per team, each allowed eight overs total across both innings.
• Wides & No-Balls: Normal T20 rules apply, but three or more in one over result in a three-run penalty.
• Over-Rate Penalty: Teams that fall behind schedule lose five runs and one timeout.
• Super Session: If the match ends in a tie, a one-over eliminator decides the winner. If still tied, the team with more boundaries wins.