(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Why India and South Africa Will Make Test Cricket History in Guwahati
Oct 31, 2025
Cricket fans are eagerly awaiting South Africa’s upcoming Test series against India, which is set to deliver something truly historic — a Test match schedule never seen before.
🏏 A Historic Twist in Guwahati
The second Test of the series, to be played at Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati from November 22, 2025, will mark a first in Test cricket history — the tea break will be taken before lunch.
Traditionally, a Test match day is divided into three sessions:
1️⃣ Morning session → Lunch
2️⃣ Afternoon session → Tea
3️⃣ Evening session → Stumps
However, due to Guwahati’s unique geographical location near India’s eastern border and shorter daylight hours, the playing schedule has been restructured to make the most of natural light.
⏰ New Playing Hours and Session Timings
To adapt to local daylight conditions, play will begin half an hour earlier than usual, starting at 9:00 AM and ending by 4:00 PM, with a possible extension to 4:30 PM.
Here’s how the new schedule looks:
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First Session: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
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Tea Break: 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
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Second Session: 11:20 AM – 1:20 PM
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Lunch Break: 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM
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Final Session: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
This makes the Guwahati Test the first ever to feature “tea before lunch” — a fascinating change that blends cricket tradition with practical adaptation.
📜 ICC Rules Allow the Change
Interestingly, the ICC’s Test Match Playing Conditions (June 2025 update) do not prohibit swapping the order of meal breaks. The rules only require that lunch and tea combined last 60 minutes (40 minutes for lunch and 20 for tea), and their sequence may be altered with mutual agreement.
Both the BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA) approved the adjustment, with ICC authorization, making this unique format completely official.
🕰️ A Nod to Cricket’s Early Days
While this format feels unusual today, it’s not entirely new. In the 19th century, matches in England and Scotland often had flexible breaks due to shorter daylight hours — before the concept of a fixed “tea break” became standard.
Now, over a century later, Guwahati is reviving that forgotten tradition, giving modern cricket fans a glimpse into the sport’s evolving nature.
🌅 A Match to Remember
No matter the result, this Test match will go down in history as the day Test cricket officially had tea before lunch — a reminder that even the oldest format of the game can still surprise the world.
