IND vs SA: Here's why Guwahati Test to have Tea break before Lunch

To maximize playtime and ensure that the day's 90 overs can be completed before natural light fades, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa have mutually agreed to revise the session timings.

In a rare and unprecedented move, the traditional sequence of breaks in Test cricket that are Toss, Lunch, Tea and Stumps, will be altered for the upcoming second Test between India and South Africa, scheduled to be played in Guwahati from November 22. For the first time in the history of Indian Test cricket, the players will take a tea break before lunch, a decision driven by the early sunrise and sunset patterns in the eastern region of the country.

 

Why Tea Comes Before Lunch?

 

The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati experiences daylight much earlier than most venues across India. To maximize playtime and ensure that the day’s 90 overs can be completed before natural light fades, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have mutually agreed to revise the session timings.  New session timings

 

 

According to the new schedule, play will begin at 9:00 AM - that is half an hour earlier than the standard Indian Test start time of 9:30 AM. The first session will run from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by a 20-minute tea break until 11:20 AM. The second session will then proceed from 11:20 AM to 1:20 PM, after which players will take a 40-minute lunch break until 2:00 PM. The final session will take place between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM, ensuring that play concludes before sunset. 

 

The Logic Behind the Change

 

A BCCI source confirmed that the modification aims to “save valuable daylight and add more game time on the field.” With the total playing window fixed from 9 AM to 4 PM, teams will still enjoy six hours of play, the standard duration required to complete a day’s quota of overs.

 

Traditionally, India’s Tests feature a lunch break first (around 11:30 AM to 12:10 PM), followed by a tea break at 2:10 PM, and play concluding at 4:30 PM. However, with Guwahati’s early sunset, continuing play until 4:30 PM risks poor visibility.

 

Not the First Adjustment by BCCI

 

While this is a first for international cricket in India, similar timing adjustments have been implemented in the Ranji Trophy for matches hosted in the country’s eastern states.

 

The Guwahati Test will thus mark a historic scheduling experiment, blending tradition with practicality, all to keep the game going under natural light.