Dhananjaya de Silva has resigned as Test captain of Sri Lanka with immediate effect, ending his run in the role.
The 35-year-old all-rounder has, however, said that he will still be available to play for Sri Lanka.
He added that he feels that the burden should now be handed over to the next crop of players.
De Silva was named as Sri Lanka’s Test captain in January 2024, replacing Dimuth Karunaratne. He led Sri Lanka in 18 matches, winning seven of them. In his time as captain, De Silva scored 1,130 runs at a batting average of 36.45 and took nine wickets.
Sri Lanka have appointed Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain following De Silva’s decision. Mendis already leads Sri Lanka in ODIs and T20Is, making him the captain across all three formats. He has played 75 Tests and scored 4,836 runs, including 10 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
Mendis’ debut as Test skipper will come against Pakistan in their two-match series. The first Test will be held in Rawalpindi from 9-13 November and the second in Lahore from 17-21.
“We have a new coach and that also comes at an interesting point in our progression,” said the Sri Lanka captain. “We are now seventh in the table of the Test champions while recently we have had a tough period – losing a Test series to India and a Test series to the West Indies, on home soil.
Although relinquishing the captaincy, De Silva is a relatively senior member of the Sri Lanka Test squad. He has 69 Tests to his name, 4,431 runs, and 43 wickets. He believed that he was able to open up a new chapter for Sri Lanka while still remaining in a senior leadership role.
Mendis is now in charge and Sri Lanka will attempt to move on in Test cricket. Mendis’ first task will be against Pakistan and a two-Test series will be another element of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.