Tea break before lunch. This is quite unheard of in Test cricket, isn’t it?
Sure, day-night Tests have a tea break before dinner. The traditional Tests, though, have a lunch break followed by tea.
But this won’t be the case when India and South Africa play the second Test of the 2025 series in Guwahati from November 22 onwards.
So what’s the reason behind the Guwahati Test having a tea break before lunch?
First of all, Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium will become the first Test cricket venue in northeast India. Overall, it will become the 30th men’s Test venue in the country.
So, it’s a significant moment for cricket in northeast India. It, obviously, stands out for the unique session breaks.
But why the change?
See, northeast India usually experiences sunrise and sunset earlier than the rest of the country. If the Test follows the usual sequence of lunch before tea, we may see reduced playtime due to early sunset.
To make sure the Guwahati Test happens under maximum daylight, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has swapped the session breaks. The board has even changed the session timings.
What are the session timings in the IND vs SA Guwahati Test?
So the Guwahati Test will begin at 9:00 AM IST. The first session will run from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM before the tea break. The tea break will be for 20 minutes.
Then the second session will take place from 11:20 AM to 1:20 PM. The lunch break will last for 40 minutes till 2:00 PM. And the last session will resume at 2:00 PM and run till 4:00 PM.
How is it different from other Tests?
Usually, Test matches in India start at 9:30 AM. So the Guwahati Test starts half an hour earlier than usual.
Then the lunch break happens around 11:30 AM and concludes at 12:10 PM. The tea break, meanwhile, happens between 2:10 PM and 2:30 PM, with the last session running till 4:30 PM.
So, how does this change help?
The change in session time and breaks will help save valuable daylight. A 20-minute tea break after the first session will possibly add 20 extra minutes of playtime under the direct sunlight.
This will perhaps lead to having the full quota of 90 overs being bowled before the stumps on all days of the Test.
Will there be additional time to complete 90 overs?
Yes. The umpires can extend the play by half an hour if a minimum of 90 overs aren’t completed. So, the day’s play can be extended till 4:30 PM in the Guwahati Test. The play extension, though, will depend on the visibility at the venue after the regular session time.
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