The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has explained the decision to switch the 20-minute ‘Tea’ and 40-minute ‘Lunch’ breaks in the Guwahati Test of the India-South Africa series, which will
be played from November 22-26 at the Barsapara Stadium.
He confirmed that Tea would be taken after the first session and Lunch would be taken between the second and third session, in complete contrast to the traditions of the format, calling it a ‘practical decision’ aligned with the conditions in Guwahati.
Guwahati, being the capital of the North-Eastern state of Assam, sees early sunrise and sunset. The Test will, thus, also start at 9 am (all timings in this piece are in IST), half an hour before the usual timings. Normal time will last till 4 pm , with an extension available till 4:30 pm, if natural light allows. Saikia said that with a 9 am start and the first break from 11 am, it would have been too early for players to take lunch.
“It is a practical decision,” Saikia, who is from Guwahati, told ESPNcricinfo. “In winters, sunrise and sunset are very early here in north-east India. By 4pm the (day)light recedes and you can’t play much after. Because of that we have decided to start early, so play will start at 9 am.”
‘Tea’ and ‘Lunch’ are traditional names given to the breaks. Players generally don’t consume the hot beverage or have heavy lunches in the respective halts, especially because they are in the middle of a high-intensity match. But the longer 40-minute break from 1:20 pm onwards should allow them the opportunity to have their meal.
Interestingly, the first Test of the series, which begins in the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on November 14, will follow the traditional timings for the day’s play and breaks. Kolkata isn’t too far away from Guwahati either, though it falls to its west.
