Cricket legends rally behind new ‘Test Twenty’ format

Cricket icons AB de Villiers, Sir Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden and Harbhajan Singh have thrown their support behind the sport’s latest innovation, a fourth format called Test Twenty.

Set to launch next year, the hybrid format aims to bridge traditional and modern cricket styles, targeting youth players aged 13 to 19.

Matches will be played in traditional whites using a red ball, featuring four innings of 20 overs each, all completed in a single day. The format introduces several unique rules to ensure balance between bat and ball.

Each team will have a four-over PowerPlay, and the follow-on rule will apply if the side batting second trails by 75 runs or more after the first innings. 

Teams can field a maximum of five bowlers, with each limited to eight overs across the match.

Interestingly, games can conclude in a win, loss, tie, or draw, offering young players the opportunity to experience multiple results within a one-day contest.

De Villiers, Lloyd, Hayden, and Harbhajan are part of the Test Twenty advisory board, which will guide the format’s development.

De Villiers expressed excitement about the creative potential of the new setup.

“What excites me most is the real creative freedom that this format brings to the party,” he said.

“It lets players completely express themselves but also think differently and take the kind of risks that make cricket so beautiful. Beyond that, it also teaches balance. You need to have the ability to survive across two innings,” he added.

Sir Clive Lloyd lauded the blend of entertainment and endurance.

“T20 cricket is an exhibition, and Test cricket is an examination. You’re now combining these two things into one. I’m sure it will be a success,” said the legendary former West Indies captain.

Harbhajan Singh emphasised the need to engage fans.

“It is the crowd that makes any game famous, whether it is cricket, hockey, or even football in Australia,” Harbhajan said.

“These games are big because crowds get behind them, they endorse them. The best thing we can do is simplify it so that people can understand and connect with it,” he added.