A quick tea break before lunch. This is quite a strange thing in Test cricket, right?
In fact, day-night tests do include a tea break before dinner. The classic ones, however, have lunch and after that, coffee.
But not this time when the Indian team plays the South African team in the 2025 series’ second Test starting from November 22 in Guwahati.
So, what is the reason for the Guwahati Test to have a tea break before lunch?
To begin with, Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium will be the first Test cricket venue in northeast India. In India, it will be the 30th men’s Test venue in total.
So it is a big deal for the northeast India region cricket. Obviously, it is the distinctive session breaks that give it a special status. But why the alteration?
Well, the truth is that the sunrise and sunset in the northeast region happen earlier than in other areas of the country. Following the regular sequence of lunch before tea, the Test might end up with less playtime because of early sunset.
To ensure that the Guwahati Test is played under full daylight, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has switched the breaks. The board has also altered the session timings.
What Are The Session Timings for The IND vs SA Guwahati Test?
The Guwahati Test will start at 9:00 AM IST. The first session will be from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM with a tea break after that. The tea break will last for 20 minutes.
Then the second session will be from 11:20 AM to 1:20 PM. The lunch break will be for 40 minutes till 2:00 PM. And the last session will start at 2:00 PM and go on till 4:00 PM.
What sets it apart from other Tests?
The typical schedule for Test matches in India is to start at 9:30 AM. Therefore, the Guwahati Test will start 30 minutes earlier than the usual time.
Then around 11:30 AM the lunch break will take place and will last until 12:10 PM. The tea break will occur between 2:10 PM and 2:30 PM, while the last session will be until 4:30 PM.
What is The Reason Behind This Time Change?
The new session timing and breaks will help in the better utilization of the daylight. The 20-minute tea break after the first session will most likely lead to 20 minutes of extra playing time in direct sunlight.
This could result in the full quota of 90 overs being bowled before the stumps on all days of the Test.
Will the Umpires Get Extra Time To finish 90 overs?
Absolutely. If at least 90 overs are not bowled, the umpires can prolong the play by 30 minutes. Thus, the day’s play in the Guwahati Test can last until 4:30 PM. However, the play extension will be contingent upon the visibility at the ground after the regular session time.
