First time in 16 years! Why does SL vs NZ 1st Test have a rest day?

The opening Test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand is interestingly poised at the moment. After three days of play, Sri Lanka are leading by 202 runs but there will be no play on the fourth day. It is officially a rest day. Here's why two teams have opted for rest between the Test?

The fourth day of the ongoing Test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand will see no play happening day as the two teams officially have a rest day. For the first time in 16 years, a Test match is featuring a rest day. In an era, where the longest format is struggling to survive, why did Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) opt to host a six-day Test? 

The reason is that Sri Lanka is holding its presidential election on Saturday. Practically, it is not a rest day for the Sri Lankan players as they will be travelling to their electorate to vote. The team has organised a bus for the players voting in Colombo who will be voting on Saturday morning and return to Galle. However, a few players will have to travel more with Asitha Fernando roughly travelling 175 kilometres while Lahiru Kumara will go to Kandy, about 225 km away from Galle.

At the same time, New Zealand players will actually enjoy the rest planning to make a comeback in the Test match on Sunday (September 22).

Couldn't SLC have avoided the clash between Test and election?

New Zealand have a tight schedule at the moment and this two-match series was sandwiched between their India tour and the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Hence, the clash was unavoidable as modern-day cricket also witnessed a rest day between the Test match for the first time in 16 years. It last happened in 2008 when the Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had a rest day due to parliamentary polls in Bangladesh. 

This rest day, however, has led to a short break between the first and second Test of the ongoing series. The first Test is scheduled to end on Monday (September 23) and the second Test will get underway on September 26 (Thursday). The teams, however, have been spared from travelling as the match will take place in Galle itself.