Introduction

I approach Cricket 26 the way an old magazine editor might approach a fresh review copy in 1997: with a ruler, a pencil behind one ear and a stubborn belief that sequels must justify their existence. Big Ant Studios' latest iteration arrives as the ninth entry in their cricket franchise and the direct successor to Cricket 24. It wears its credentials proudly - the official game of the 2025-26 Ashes series - while also carrying the humble burden of being iterative rather than revolutionary. On Xbox Series X/S the game strives to be both a spectacle and a simulator: polished on the surface, earnest in intent, and occasionally tripped up by the age-old gremlins of modern development. If you like your cricket served with improved behaviours, extra modes, and the occasional software temper tantrum, read on.

Gameplay

Cricket 26 largely refines rather than reinvents. The core batting, bowling and fielding mechanics are recognisably descended from Cricket 24, but Big Ant have tightened the joints: animations have been smoothed, bowling actions feel more authentic, and fielding has received a visual and mechanical polish that makes the on-field exchanges more convincing. The game now responds to environmental conditions such as light and precipitation, and the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method has been implemented for rain-affected matches - a welcome nod to real-world cricket bureaucracy that can turn a pursuit into nail-biting theatre. Multiplayer remains a major draw. Long-standing modes such as Pro Team, Auction House and community content support are present, alongside content drops and an academy system. The inclusion of microtransactions in certain Pro Team features will not please purists, but it is presented alongside a Pro Team edition of the game that bundles extra credits. For those who enjoy constructing teams, buying and selling in an auction environment, or assembling a fantasy XI with other players, the multiplayer elements provide a familiar and serviceable playground. Community creativity is encouraged too: players can create and share stadiums, equipment and custom players, which helps keep the online ecosystem lively. The standout addition is Management Career, a mode that shifts the focus away from button-mashing spectacle to the slow-burn of team stewardship. Recruitment, player development, lineup construction and match strategy are all on the menu, along with team confidence meters and optional objectives that give the mode some teeth. This is a shrewd inclusion: cricket has always had room for managerial nuance, and Cricket 26's offering caters to those who enjoy the administrative chess game as much as the on-field drama. Content breadth is respectable. The game includes both domestic and international cricket, with new national teams such as Ireland, the West Indies and Pakistan added to the roster. Domestic competitions include the high-octane Indian Premier League, The Hundred, and the Caribbean Premier League. On the downside for some fans, New Zealand's Super Smash has been removed - a frustrating omission if you were hoping for that particular brand of fireworks. Big Ant have also added an Ashes-focused mode which allows players to manage elements such as net sessions and press conferences for England or Australia. It feels like an attempt to give a marquee series the narrative treatment, and while it does not become a full-blown cricket soap opera, it provides a welcome structure for those who want to linger in the rivalries that define the sport. That said, ambition sometimes outpaces polish. Early reviews and user feedback highlighted that certain new modes were criticised and that some features were non-functional at launch. Frequent crashes and graphical bugs were also reported in the first week even after patches, which tempers enthusiasm and undermines confidence in more complex areas like online multiplayer and the Management Career save stability.

Graphics

Graphically, Cricket 26 is where the developers have clearly chosen to spend their time. Built on an updated version of the same in-house engine that powered Cricket 24, the game introduces ray-traced lighting and dynamic weather effects that noticeably elevate the presentation on Xbox Series X/S. Day-night transitions, damp pitches and rain-soaked outfields are treated with care; light catches a willow, shadowed stands feel lived-in, and pitch conditions affect the ambience as well as the play. Player models have been improved and the updated fielding animations reduce the awkward stiffness that sometimes plagued earlier titles. The simulation of bowling actions is more convincing, which heightens the illusion that you are watching an actual contest rather than a sequence of pre-ordained motions. However, the visual improvements are marred by a compartment of early-adopter woes: despite initial patches, critics reported persistent graphical bugs and crashes in the first week. These problems cast a shadow over what is otherwise a competent and occasionally striking visual package. Audio work is serviceable rather than showy. Crowd reactions, pitch noises and the commentator feed do their jobs but rarely soar into the realm of legendary sports audio. For fans of subtle environmental cues and a believable stadium atmosphere, the game does enough to sell the illusion, but it is the lighting and weather systems that steal the limelight.

Conclusion

Cricket 26 is an earnest, frequently enjoyable cricket sim that makes sensible and tangible progress from its predecessor. On Xbox Series X/S it looks better, feels more authentic in the clutch moments and offers a worthwhile Management Career mode for players who enjoy long-term stewardship. The breadth of domestic competitions and the inclusion of new international teams adds value, and community content keeps replayability high. Yet the release is not without blemish. The presence of microtransactions in Pro Team features, the removal of Super Smash, and, most importantly, the early reports of crashes and non-functional features at launch are legitimate grievances. These issues stop the game short of being a definitive cricket experience and relegate it to the category of 'strong but imperfect'. If you are a cricket obsessive with an Xbox Series X/S and a forgiving internet connection to weather the early patches, Cricket 26 is worth your time for the gameplay improvements and Management Career depth. If you prize a rock-solid, launch-day experience free of bugs and microtransaction nudges, you may want to wait until the kinks are fully ironed out. In the spirit of those 1990s review pages that balanced star ratings with tempered advice: Cricket 26 aims high, lands most of its shots, but occasionally dies wondering on the crease. Score: 7.0/10.

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