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What Is Rest Day In Cricket? The Old Rule That Is Set To Return In SL Vs NZ Test Series

Players during a bee attack in IND vs AUS Test, 2008 [Facebook] Players during a bee attack in IND vs AUS Test, 2008 [Facebook]

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) recently unveiled the schedule for their upcoming Test series against New Zealand, and it's quite an interesting one. The series, consisting of two matches, is set to kick off next month, with the first Test taking place in Galle from September 18 to 23. 

What sets this series apart is the inclusion of a rest day during the first Test on September 21, which coincides with the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka.

Series schedule:

First Test: September 18-23, Galle

Second Test: September 26-30, Galle 

What Is Rest Day In Test Cricket? 

Rest Day is generally a pause within a Test match. In the matches in the past, a day was included in between, when there shall be no action. 

Rest days were once common in Test cricket, especially in England. Back then, matches often lasted six days, with a day off on Sunday.

This break gave players time to recover and allowed the pitch to regain its original characteristics, like bounce and pace. However, as the demand for international cricket grew and teams aimed to make the most of their playing time, rest days slowly disappeared from the sport.

When Was The Last Test Day In Test Cricket?

The tradition of scheduling a rest day in Test matches has faded with time. The last instance of a scheduled rest day in Test cricket occurred in Dhaka in 2008 during Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh. 

The rest day was implemented on December 29 to accommodate a parliamentary election in Bangladesh. 

Why Will Have Sri Lanka And New Zealand Have A Rest Day?

The upcoming Sri Lanka-New Zealand Test series, which is part of the World Test Championship, is all set to bring back the concept of a rest day. 

The first Test, scheduled to begin on September 18, 2024, in Galle, will feature a rest day on September 21. 

This rest day has been planned due to the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka, making it a rare occurrence in modern-day cricket. This match will be played over six days, reviving an older tradition to accommodate the significant event.