Should You Buy Cricket 26 In 2026 | Cricket 26 Review

Cricket 26 (2026) Review — Summary of Key Points

Overall verdict

• Worth it on Xbox Game Pass / on sale, especially for cricket fans and simulation play.
• Not recommended at full price due to persistent AI/fielding issues and lack of deep, interesting game modes.
• Bugs/glitches are present but not usually game-breaking; the bigger deal-breaker is AI behavior (especially in the field) and repeated/shallow modes.

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Main product features & what’s improved

Graphics / presentation

• Generally described as a “beautiful” cricket game and a clear improvement over Cricket 24.
• Player models look more human: varied body types and more detailed faces (not “stick figures”).
• Lighting is much better ~90% of the time; it looks great regardless of the time of day.
• Issues:
  • Shadows can look wrong under overcast conditions.
  • Textures may be very detailed on one load and blurry on another.

Pitch deterioration

• The reviewer thinks Cricket 24’s pitch deterioration looks better.
• In Cricket 26: by day 4–5 pitches can look “downright ugly” (huge cracks/roughness).
• Day 5 can look like day 3, implying deterioration pacing/regression compared to Cricket 24.

Batting gameplay (balanced and improved)

• Gameplay is similar to prior games, but at launch it was more difficult and different; over time it drifted closer to Cricket 24.
• Batting against spin improved:
  • Shots through the offside don’t cause edges “all the time.”
  • Aggressive shots are viable when executed correctly.
• Feels realistic for spin: spinners’ feel/trajectory is praised.
• Batting systems are “the most balanced” so far (vs previous entries described as having underpowered shots or frustrating mechanics).
• Lots of shot variety and scoring options:
  • Sixes down the ground, late cuts, cover drives, flicks, play late, drop-and-run, etc.
• Shot/skill limitations:
  • Advanced shots are still useless on high difficulties.
  • Unorthodox shots swung from “too easy” at one point to “literally impossible” at higher difficulty (animations look cool, but usability suffers).
  • Scoop is highlighted as one of the best-looking shots in any cricket game.

Batting styles

• 11 batting styles, described as variations of the same shots.
• 4 new batting styles are praised as “amazing.”
• Older styles are mostly “ordinary,” except Steve Smith style (noted positively).

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Bowling & batting AI behavior

Bowling (especially Tests) — strong point

• The reviewer enjoys bowling a lot, particularly Test match bowling.
• T20 bowling is less fun because wickets can feel random:
  • Good vs bad balls don’t matter much.
  • Example behavior: batsmen can get caught at deep even when the ball seems like it’s down the leg side.
• Still, some realism exists in T20:
  • Ball in the right area can still produce common outcomes like switch hit down the ground.
• Test bowling rewards consistency:
  • Even if wickets don’t come, you get close calls (plays and misses, edges).
  • When wickets do happen, they’re described as very satisfying.
• Dismissals are diverse and realistic:
  • Inside/outswingers hitting stumps, outside edges to slips, trapped in crease, outfield catches, etc.
• Spin bowling:
  • Trajectory/turn/flight/animations are praised.
  • Irritating dismissal types happen almost exclusively when bowling spin (example: cut hits where keeper takes it).

Batting AI (better than older issues)

• AI batsmen are described as not that dumb:
  • They attack.
  • More realistic caution behavior when required run rate is high (like 14 rpo) is said to happen less than in previous games.
• Against stronger teams (e.g., Australia, even 200+ totals in T20), it doesn’t feel safe, forcing planning and field setting.

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Biggest problems (cons)

Fielding / AI (major negative)

• Fielding and AI are called the worst part of Cricket 26.
• Even after patches, it has become much worse than at release.
• Examples of problematic behavior:
  • Fielders dive for no reason.
  • Fielders sometimes run very slowly or don’t move at all.
  • Easy stops get turned into unnecessary “epic dive attempts.”
• Impact on user experience:
  • If you get frustrated by glitches/AI behavior, the reviewer says this game may not be for you.
  • The issues occur with every match.

Bugs/glitches

• Bugs exist (not always, but frequently enough):
  • Balls/bats reportedly passing through objects (bat-through-ground, ball-through-bat).
• Mitigation:
  • Bugs reportedly happen less often when the player is batting than when AI is batting.

Game modes / depth

• Major complaint: not enough interesting game modes.
• Modes listed: career, management career, pro team, competitions.
• Criticism:
  • Most modes have no depth and become match-after-match repetition.
  • Management career is called “bare minimum”; training/morale/form doesn’t seem to change actual gameplay.
  • Regular career is slightly better since you don’t control the whole team, but still repetitive.
• Conclusion: the reviewer feels Big Ant is delivering the same structure after 10+ years.

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Comparisons mentioned (Cricket 24 / Cricket 22)

Cricket 26 vs Cricket 24

• Visuals improved vs Cricket 24 (lighting, player models, overall look).
• But pitch deterioration is seen as worse than Cricket 24.
• Gameplay evolution: after launch, Cricket 26 shifted over time to become more like Cricket 24 (reducing the “different from release” feel).

Cricket 26 vs Cricket 22

• Cricket 22 described as average.
• Cricket 26 is implied to be a better, more balanced experience overall, but still not free of major AI/mode issues.

Cricket 26 vs older/other titles (brief references)

• Ashes Cricket:
  • Graphics quality referenced historically (Ashes looked great).
  • Bowling enjoyment compared favorably to Ashes Cricket 2017 (last time the reviewer enjoyed bowling this much).
• Cricket 2007:
  • Cited as an example where certain batting actions (cover drives/gap finding) could be frustrating/hard to execute.

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Unique points mentioned about the product (consolidated)

1. Cricket 26 has been out ~9 months and has seen many changes since launch.
2. Graphics are a major improvement; lighting good ~90%; overcast shadows can be wrong.
3. Player models look more human with varied bodies/faces.
4. Texture clarity can be inconsistent (detailed vs blurry).
5. Pitch deterioration is worse than Cricket 24 visually (day 4–5 ugly; day 5 resembles day 3).
6. Launch difficulty was very different: more difficult, more plays/misses, harder fast-bowler batting.
7. Over time, it moved closer to Cricket 24 style mode.
8. Batting vs spin improved: offside shots don’t edge constantly; realism praised for spinner feel/trajectory.
9. Batting is highly balanced; most shots are useful when appropriate.
10. Advanced shots useless on high difficulties; unorthodox shots become impossible at high difficulty despite great animations.
11. Scoop shot is among the best-looking in the genre.
12. 11 batting styles; 4 new styles praised; old styles mostly ordinary (Steve Smith style noted).
13. Scoring options and risk are controlled largely by execution and sliders.
14. AI bowling behavior is criticized: bowlers often pitch outside off stump; flickers rare due to AI tendencies.
15. AI bugs/glitches exist: balls/bats may pass through objects.
16. Bugs are less frequent when the player bats than when AI bats.
17. Bowling is enjoyable, especially Tests; T20 wickets can feel random.
18. In Tests, bowling well gives satisfying near-misses and varied realistic dismissals.
19. Spin bowling is fun, but annoying dismissal patterns occur frequently when bowling spin.
20. AI batsmen attack and react more realistically than before.
21. Fielding/AI is worst: inexplicable dives, slow movement, wrong animations (worse than release).
22. Game modes lack depth; management career systems don’t impact gameplay meaningfully.
23. Recommendation depends strongly on price: - Recommend on Game Pass - Not recommend at full price - Okay on discount

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Speakers / perspectives

• The subtitles appear to be from one primary reviewer with a consistent perspective throughout (no clear multi-speaker separation). All criticisms and praises come from the same narrator.