Cricket is ready for a big change. A new format called Test Twenty will bring the best of Test cricket and T20s together. It is the idea of sports entrepreneur Gaurav Bahirvani, executive chairman of The One One Six Network.
The game will have two innings of 20 overs per side. Both teams will bat twice in one day. The result will be like a Test match win, loss, or draw. It aims to keep the depth of red-ball cricket and the speed of short formats.
A Bridge Between Old and New Formats of cricket
Unlike T20s that focus only on quick hitting, Test Twenty will bring strategy back. The match will be played in four sessions of 20 overs each. There will be breaks in between, like in a traditional Test match.
Organisers call it “Test match thinking in T20 time.” It will bring patience and planning to a fast game, while keeping it easy to broadcast.
Some of cricket’s greatest players support this idea. The Advisory Board has AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh.
De Villiers said it is “innovation with intent” and gives young players “a new dream to chase and fans a new story to follow.”
Lloyd said the game “has always adapted but never this thoughtfully,” calling it a revival of cricket’s art with modern energy.
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Hayden called it a “bridge between eras.” Harbhajan Singh described it as “a fresh heartbeat for the sport.”
Michael Fordham, former CEO of Rajasthan Royals, will help run the project as Chief Operating Officer.
The format will also build a youth system. The Junior Test Twenty Championship will cover 50 countries. It will help young players aged 13 to 19 grow into professionals.
The first full season starts in January 2026. Six teams will play three from India and three from Dubai, London, and a U.S. city.
By mixing Test match class with T20 excitement, Test Twenty wants to reshape cricket’s future while respecting its past.
