IND vs SA: Why is Tea being taken before Lunch in Guwahati Test? Reason Explained

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A historical Test awaits at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati as India lock horns against South Africa in the 2nd and final Test of the series.

After a defeat at the Eden Gardens, the Indian team is trailing in the series. and it has already put a huge dent in their World Test Championship prospects. As they lock horns in Guwahati, India will aim to restore parity, while South Africa hope to secure a rare Test series win.

IND vs SA 2nd Test Day 1 Session Timings

The India vs South Africa 2nd Test will start from 9 am IST each day, and it will continue till 4 pm IST. The match will also witness a unique phenomenon, as the Tea session will be taken before Lunch.

IND vs SA 2nd Test Day 1 Session Times and Breaks (in IST)

1st Session - 9 am to 11 am

Tea - 11 am to 11:20 am

2nd Session - 11:20 am to 1:20 pm

Tea - 1:20 pm to 2 pm

3rd Session - 2 pm to 4 pm

The match can be extended further by 30 minutes if the light persists at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.

IND vs SA: Why is Tea taken before Lunch in the Guwahati Test?

Normally, Test cricket matches follow a long-established sequence where play starts in the morning, continues until lunch, resumes until tea in the afternoon, and finishes with an evening session after tea.

However, at the Guwahati Barsapara Stadium, where the 2nd Test between India and South Africa is being played, this tradition is reversed - players are taking a tea break before lunch. This adjustment is primarily due to Guwahati's early sunrise and early sunset, requiring the start of play at 9:00 AM and necessitating a tea break at around 11:00 AM to balance daylight use effectively.

As the Tea is taken for around 20 minutes and Lunch takes a 40-minute break, the two boards agreed to save the maximum game time with the optimum sunlight, and thus the Tea has been promoted up the order, ahead of the Lunch.