Dhananjaya de Silva steps down as Sri Lanka’s Test captain; Kusal Mendis to succeed him
Kusal Mendis has been appointed as the new Test captain for Sri Lanka following the resignation of Dhananjaya de Silva. Mendis will lead the team in his first assignment during the upcoming two-Test series in Pakistan.
Why it matters
This leadership transition marks a significant shift for Sri Lankan cricket as they attempt to rebuild their performance in the World Test Championship standings.
Kusal Mendis will take over as Sri Lanka Test captain after all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down, the country's cricket board said on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Mendis, already the one-day and T20 skipper, has played 75 Tests for Sri Lanka, scoring 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36, including 10 centuries and 23 fifties.
The two-Test series in Pakistan starting in Rawalpindi on November 9 will be Mendis' first assignment as Test captain.
De Silva, 35, who will remain available for selection, succeeded Dimuth Karunaratne as Test captain in January 2024 and led Sri Lanka in 18 Tests, winning seven.
"It's my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation," de Silva said in a letter to the selection committee.
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