India and South Africa’s second Test match will break a tradition in cricket by taking the tea break before the lunch break in a very rare instance. It is the usual practice to take a break for lunch first and then the tea will be served after the second session’s play. Nevertheless, due to some valid reasons, the second Test match between India and South Africa will experience an exact opposite event.
IND vs SA 2nd Test
Typically, the test matches in India commence at 9.30 AM local time. However, the second Test between India and Africa at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati will start thirty minutes before the usual time owing to the early sunrise and the sunset in the eastern state of Assam, i.e. at 9.00 AM IST.
This measure, which is intended to get 90 overs in by the end of the day, is also the cause of the tea break coming before the lunch break. An article on Express Sports indicates that the organisers made up their minds to have a tea break of 20 minutes at 11 AM which will actually lead them to build up extra game time on the field.
“Guwahati sees early sunset and there is an early start too. The reason for taking tea early is this. This will be the first time we have decided to alter the Tea session as time will be saved to get extra game time on the field,” a BCCI insider was quoted as saying by Express Sports.
Revised session timings for IND vs SA 2nd Test
- 9 am to 11 am – 1st session
- 11 am to 11.20 am – Tea break
- 11.20 am to 1.20 pm – 2nd session
- 1.20 pm to 2 pm – lunch break
- 2 pm to 4 pm – 3rd session
So, by taking the tea break first, the organisers intend to reduce the length of the first interval in order to counter the early sunset at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. It is a precautionary measure that will allow both the teams to get through a big chunk of overs before bad light forces a stoppage at the venue.
