Test Twenty has been unveiled—and if the early noise is anything to go by, this isn’t just another novelty cricket format; it’s a full-blown shake-up. Rolled out by sports entrepreneur Gaurav Bahirvani alongside a cavalry of cricket greats, Test Twenty declares itself as the future of the sport: part Test match, part T20, and unapologetically designed for the next generation.

For years, cricket has squabbled with itself—traditionalists clinging to the romance of five-day Tests while the commercial world chases white-ball fireworks. Test Twenty swears blind it can bridge that divide.

The world’s first 80-over competition, it keeps Test match structure—two innings each—while condensing the action into something far more modern, marketable, and watchable. Think chess with a shot of espresso.

The Architects of the Fourth Format

This isn’t a gimmick cooked up in a boardroom by blokes who’ve never held a bat. Bahirvani, founder of the One One Six Network and the man calling himself the Architect of the Fourth Format, is flanked by a proper cricketing brain trust. The Test Twenty Advisory Board features AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh—the kind of cricketing firepower usually reserved for World Cup commentary boxes and statues outside stadiums.

Their mission is simple: keep cricket’s soul but ditch the baggage. “Cricket must evolve with time while remaining true to its spirit,” they say—and for once, it doesn’t sound like marketing fluff. Former Rajasthan Royals CEO Michael Fordham has already joined as Chief Operating Officer, proof that this thing has legs and isn’t just another PowerPoint fantasy.

So What Is Test Twenty, Exactly?

Here’s the meat of it:

80 overs total
Two innings, 20 overs each per team
Scores carry over between innings
Wins, losses, ties, or draws are all still possible
Test and T20 rules combined—with tweaks for pace

In short, it revives the lost arts of innings building, tactical patience, and bowling strategy—without asking modern audiences to sacrifice a week of their lives to watch it. Every over counts, every decision matters, and broadcasters won’t need to pad six hours of dead air with rain delays and stories about pigeons at Lord’s.

A Youth Revolution—Not Just a League

Watching is one thing. Building the future is another—and Test Twenty wants to become cricket’s global talent factory. Its Junior Test Twenty Championship (JTTC) will run across 50+ countries, scouting players aged 13 to 19. No nepotism, no regional bias—selection is purely data and merit-based, feeding into franchise auctions.

And those franchises? The first season lands in January 2026 with six global teams—Dubai, London, a U.S. city, plus three Indian franchises still to be announced. Each team will be backed by a next-gen celebrity stakeholder, because of course they will—this is modern sport, after all.

De Villiers Backs It—Hard

AB de Villiers doesn’t just lend his name; he’s fully behind it: “I genuinely believe this fourth format can add a new dimension to our game. Many of us have enjoyed the T20 format over the years, but we still hold particular affection for Test cricket – and we want it to be played and enjoyed forever.

This new format strikes me as a thoughtful and smart solution. Test Twenty is not trying to replace Test cricket in any way – it seeks to refine it, even to reimagine it for the next generation. I believe it will work. Test20 will reward resilience and flair, endurance and power – the best of both formats, the best of both worlds, a new horizon.”

AB doesn’t waste his words. If he thinks this has a heartbeat, you listen.

Test Twenty may not please everyone—what truly innovative idea ever does? But cricket has spent too long sitting on the fence, watching other sports sprint past it. This format doesn’t just want a slice of the future—it wants to build it.