NEW DELHI: In a historic moment for cricket in the Northeast, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presented Rishabh Pant and Temba Bavuma with memorial gold-plated toss coins to mark the inaugural Test in Guwahati, which became India's 30th Test venue.

Pant and Bavuma further marked the occasion by signing a special ACA Stadium portrait, celebrating the city's debut on the stage of Test cricket.

The only international cricket venue in the region, Guwahati, known as the 'Gateway to the Northeast', had earned the distinction of hosting ICC World Cup matches for the first time earlier this year.

International cricket matches were earlier played at the Nehru Stadium, and the ACA shifted base to Barsapara in 2017.

The match began at 9 am instead of the standard 9.30 am start for other venues in India to compensate for the early sunrise and sunset in the region. It will also see a reversal of the traditional lunch and tea break timings due to the early start.

"Change in timings and the breaks have been necessitated due to local daylight conditions. The tradition of ringing of bell to mark the start of each day's play is being followed," Saikia said.