Rishabh Pant to follow in MS Dhoni’s footsteps:Tea will be taken before Lunch; 3 historic firsts await Team India in Guwahati Test

Ahead of the challenging Guwahati Test against South Africa, India’s new captain, Rishabh Pant, will eye three historic firsts. Under heavy scrutiny after the close Kolkata Test loss, it will be crucial for Pant to claim a win in the second Test in a historic game in the longest format. It is not just the pressure of keeping pride alive for Pant, who is set to captain India in a Test for the first time; there is also a chance to etch his name in golden words in record books. Rishabh Pant: India’s second wicketkeeper Test captain after MS Dhoni Making his debut as India’s Test skipper, the new role of Rishabh Pant in the team places him alongside one of the greatest names in Indian cricketing history. Once he leads Men in Blue in Guwahati, Pant will become only the second wicketkeeper to captain India in Test cricket, following MS Dhoni. Notably, the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning captain last led the side in his final Test in 2014. Pant will also enter the record books as India’s 38th Test skipper. Tea Break to take place before Lunch Break in the Guwahati Test The match in Guwahati will also come with a unique change in timing. Traditionally, in an Indian venue, the Test day starts at 9.30 AM, with Lunch and Tea breaks acting as the break between first-second and second-third sessions. However, Guwahati, which is situated on the far eastern edge of the country, witnesses early sunrise and early sunset, unlike other parts of India. With no daylight saving system in place, the early sunset can reduce playing hours for both teams. Therefore, to accommodate local conditions, the BCCI has adjusted the schedule for this Test. Play will begin 30 minutes earlier than usual. So, the opening session will be followed by a shorter tea break instead of lunch. Meanwhile, longer lunch interval will be pushed to early afternoon, around 1.30 PM local time. Ultimately, the reshuffled timings are set to ensure a full day’s play without reducing time, and more time to play under daylight. India to play 300th home Test in Guwahati At the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, India is set to play its 300th Test at home under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy. Notably, the hosts haven’t played an international Test match at this venue so far. The Indian team has played 4 T20 Internationals and 2 ODI matches here so far. This stadium was completed in 2012, and the first international match here was played in 2017 as a T20 between India and Australia. So far, only two countries in world cricket have hosted 300 or more Test matches. The first in this list is England, considered the birthplace of cricket, where 566 Test matches have been played. Australia is second on the list, having hosted 450 Test matches. With this, India will now become the third country in this list to have hosted 300 or more Test matches.