Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium Becomes India’s 30th Test Venue With Tea-Before-Lunch Debut

Overview

• The BCCI confirmed Barsapara as the country’s 30th Test venue and the first Test ground in the North-East, also regarded as India’s easternmost Test site.
• To accommodate early sunset in Guwahati, play began at 9:00 am with the tea interval taken before lunch in a first for Test cricket.
• Shubman Gill was ruled out with a neck injury, and Rishabh Pant assumed the role as India’s 38th Test captain.
• The red-soil surface drew scrutiny after Kolkata’s three-day finish, with expectations of early batting assistance before spinners become influential.
• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the milestone, framing it as a boost for regional infrastructure and pathways for young cricketers.