India vs South Africa: Guwahati to host first-ever Test with Tea break before Lunch; here's why

Guwahati to host first-ever Test with Tea break before Lunch (BCCI Photo)

In a red-ball Test match, the three breaks that take place in a day occur in the following sequence: Lunch Break, Tea Break, and Stumps (end of day’s play). However, the second Test match between India and South Africa, scheduled to begin on November 22, will witness a role reversal. For the first time in the 148-year history of Test cricket, players will have a Tea break first, followed by Lunch.

While the break after the first session is for Tea in day–night Tests, in the history of red-ball Test cricket, no match has ever been played with the Tea Break being the first interval. Next month, Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, hosting a Test match for the first time, will witness the first such instance in a red-ball Test.

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The reason for this change is the early sunrise and sunset in the eastern part of the country. Consequently, the game will begin half an hour earlier than the usual start time. For Tests in India, play typically begins at 9:30 a.m. local time, but the Guwahati Test will start at 9:00 a.m.

This change in start time means the break after the first session will be for Tea, lasting 20 minutes, and will take place at 11:00 a.m. IST. A forty-minute lunch break will then occur from 1:20 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., while the third session will be played from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

While start times for Test matches vary by country, most cricket boards adhere to the traditional Lunch–Tea schedule.

“The reason for having an early tea is because Guwahati experiences an early sunset, and there is also an early start. This will be the first time we have decided to change the tea session, as time will be saved to allow extra play on the field,” a source in the board confirmed to The Indian Express.

If, on any day, the quota of 90 overs is not completed by 4:00 p.m., match officials may extend play by up to 30 minutes, provided light conditions permit.

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Reportedly, both the BCCI and Cricket South Africa have agreed to the changes for the second Test. This is not the first time the BCCI has been forced to alter session timings; similar adjustments have been made in the past during Ranji Trophy matches due to environmental factors.

Before the Guwahati Test, India and South Africa will face each other in Kolkata. Although the ‘City of Joy’ is geographically close to Guwahati and also lies in the east, there will be no change in timings or session order for the first Test.