Sai Sudharsan made light of the fact that there will be ‘tea’ before ‘lunch’ in the Guwahati Test. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra) Teams India and South Africa are preparing for an unusual practice session in the second Test in Guwahati, where play will start 30 minutes earlier and the traditional break will be reversed, with tea first and lunch later. The BCCI adjusted the timing to match the morning daylight window in the Northeast, prompting a rare change for a non-day-night Test. All five days of the India-South Africa match starting on November 22 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium will follow this modified pattern.
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Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Follow The Blues’, Sai Sudharsan said he was happy with the format shift and expected the players to adapt quickly. “I don’t mind having tea before lunch, I already drink tea during lunch, so I guess I’ll enjoy it. Of course it’s new, but we’ll get used to it. It’s exciting to discover,” said Sudharsan. Informed of the change, the South African camp shared mixed reactions. Spinner Keshav Maharaj said the team has understood the reasons behind the decision and will adjust accordingly. “Actually, we heard about it recently. It’s interesting, but you can understand the thinking behind it. Sunlight becomes a factor, so they try to maximize playing time. We respect the established rules and are here to compete and give our best as a South African unit,” Maharaj said on the same show. Opening batsman Aiden Markram offered a different perspective, saying he preferred the traditional Test match but acknowledged the players had to adapt to the conditions and schedule.
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Do you think the new training plan will benefit the players?
“It’s interesting. I’m not the biggest fan of it to be honest. I think Test cricket should always start at 10am with lunch followed by tea. But that’s the cards you’re dealt and you just go with it. It’ll be something different to experience but hopefully it won’t become a regular thing,” Markram said. With the series continuing in conditions adapted to local daylight, both sides are preparing for a test that will start earlier, be otherwise suspended and still require the same level of discipline across sessions.
