Test Twenty, A New Format With An Eye On Building Cricketing Ecosystem

Test, ODI, T20, The Hundred, T10 and now Test Twenty. 

Cricket welcomes a new kid on the block, with Test Twenty becoming the latest format on October 16 (Thursday) virtually. As the name suggests, Test Twenty is a combination of Test cricket and T20 format, in the sense that 80 overs of action will be played in a single day, but divided across four innings. 

“Each team bats twice, just like in a Test match, reviving the art of building a game while keeping play concise, dynamic, and broadcast-friendly. The rules of both Test and T20 cricket apply, with a few refined adjustments to suit the new format. Matches can conclude in a win, loss, tie, or draw,” the press release of the tournament stated. 

The format is introduced to identify the vast amount of talent available in the world of cricket, with 13-19 years being the target age group. Alongside the new format, the organisation behind it (The Fourth Format) are also planning to infuse more technology into the sport – an AI-driven scouting system, a motion sensor in bat/ball to help youngsters grasp the sport. 

Gaurav Bahirvani, CEO of The Fourth Format and Executive Chairman of the One One Six Network, revealed that the idea behind the project is to discover, train and elevate next-generation cricketers in a bid to create a new cricketing ecosystem, and not just a tournament. 

"What NCAA has done for basketball in the U.S, we are creating the NCAA-equivalent for global cricket,” Bahirvani remarked. “We’re constructing a connected talent ecosystem - a global feeder line - that gives every young player regardless of gender, background, or geography, an equal path to recognition and growth.”

Several notable cricketers, such as Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, AB de Villiers and Harbhajan Singh, were present at the media interaction backed the project and its potential.

“What excites me the most is the freedom and creativity, it [Test Twenty] lets the players express themselves. But even though it is cricket without fear, it teaches balance, to survive across the two innings,” de Villiers said at the virtual event. 

“Youth being the future, that’s really got me on board. Long format is a Test of character, skills, mental and physical capability. We are getting the best of both worlds, with 80 overs in a day across two different innings,” Hayden, an integral part of the project, added. 

The organisation aims to work closely with cricketing boards over the coming years to provide them with the cutting-edge technology that can elevate the levels of scouting in the world of cricket. 

“Movement is often challenging, if you go back to 1971, it really took a rebel unit to challenge the boards. In this case, I don’t think that’s the focus really; it is a better way of identifying the youth talents. In Australia, we no longer have a national academy; it was the bread and butter for Australian cricket. It produced some of the best cricketers,” said Hayden, answering a Cricket.com query. 

“From a pure Australian perspective, finding a better method of talent identification, we have seen it in our country as well, partnering with cricketing boards. Cricket board, it is like partnering with a Bulls Masters organisation, which helps with Queensland cricket. So, I’m seeing this as a platform that will help us identify talents.”

Gaurav, the founder, also added to the conundrum, stating that they want to contribute and give it back to the community, with an ecosystem that can help seamlessly provide the talents another opportunity. 

“I want BCCI and orgs like them to see our work, and we are happy to transfer our technology to the state associations in India and counties in the United Kingdom. We are more than happy with the approach of the state association in finding the talent. We just want to grow the grassroots,” he said. 

“People talk about chances; everyone deserves more than two chances, and as long as there’s a platform, the chance should be available to everyone. Test Twenty is a platform where we will allow cricketers to grow. In years to come, the state and cricketing boards will look at us as an ally, and we can help them. We want to contribute to the lot; we are just trying to help them.”

The first few editions of the competition will be played in India, starting January 2026, with the victorious team winning the Junior Test Twenty Championship (JTTC) presented with a crown. It will feature six teams, three based out of India and three (Dubai, London and a US City). 

Each franchise will assemble a 16-player squad, comprising eight Indian and eight international players, bringing together diverse talent from across the cricketing world. In total, 96 players will be drafted during the auction, while the remaining 204 will form the Wildcard Pool - a reserve group eligible for mid-season selection opportunities, as outlined in the official rulebook.