Typically, such a sequence is reserved for day-night Tests, but officials made the adjustment for this day’s game due to the region’s rapidly fading light.
Photo: ANI
In a rare scheduling change, the BCCI has decided to alter the break timings of the second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati to counter the early sunrise and sunset in the Northeast region.
Typically, such a sequence is reserved for day-night Tests, but officials made the adjustment for this day’s game due to the region’s rapidly fading light.
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The Test, starting on November 22, will mark Guwahati’s debut as a Test venue after recently hosting several matches during the Women’s ODI World Cup. This historic fixture adds another feather to the region’s cricketing profile, bringing international red-ball cricket to a region, which has always received the first rays of sunlight in the country.
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BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who hails from Guwahati, confirmed the revised schedule for the upcoming Test, saying play will begin half an hour earlier than the usual start time for red-ball matches in India. While the opening Test in Kolkata will begin at 9.30 am, the Guwahati Test will start at 9 am.
The toss is scheduled for 8.30 am, with the first session running from 9 to 11 am, followed by a 20-minute tea break. Lunch will be served between 1.20 and 2 pm, and play is set to continue until 4 pm, with an additional 30 minutes available if required
Saikia said the unique scheduling will ensure players are not subjected to an unusually early lunch, maintaining energy levels and competitive intensity.
“During winters, the North-East has early sunrises and sunsets, due to which it will be impossible to stretch play till 4:30 pm. Considering all those factors, it has been decided to tweak the match timings to ensure a full quota of overs for each day,” Saikia said.
The series will begin on Friday at Eden Gardens, where a special gold-plated coin featuring the insignia of both the BCCI and Cricket South Africa will be used for the toss. The Guwahati Test promises to be equally captivating, with both sides eager to assert dominance in unfamiliar conditions.
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