The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has defended its unusual move to interchange the ‘Tea’ and ‘Lunch’ sessions for the upcoming India–South Africa Test at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium. The shift, breaking a long-standing Test cricket convention, was described by Assam Cricket Association Secretary Devaraj Saikia as a “practical decision.” According to Saikia, the Guwahati Test — to be played from November 22 to 26 — will begin at 9 a.m. IST, half an hour earlier than standard Test timings. Speaking to ESPNCrinfo, Saikia explained, “It is a practical decision. In winters, sunrise and sunset are very early here in north-east India. By 4 pm 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.” The traditional schedule, where Lunch follows the first session, will now be reversed. Players will first break for Tea after the morning session and take Lunch between the second and third sessions. Saikia stated that the change aligns with local daylight conditions rather than being experimental. Read also: Eden Gardens pitch curator in story again! Did team India like Kolkata pitch? Will it actually affect the players' food intake? Probably not. In a traditional Test match, play is divided into three sessions of roughly two hours each. After the first session, players take a lunch break lasting about 40 minutes. Following the second session, there’s a tea break that continues for around 20 minutes. Cricketers usually avoid drinking tea or eating a full meal during the designated breaks, as they remain in the midst of an intense contest. However, the extended 40-minute interval starting at 1:20 pm gives them adequate time to eat properly. Well, it is unusual for Bengalis in West Bengal to have lunch in 11:30 pm. Despite being a few kilometeres away from Guawahati, there is no chnge in the timings for the first Test in Eden Garden's starting on November 14.