Kusal Mendis appointed Sri Lanka’s new Test captain after Dhananjaya de Silva steps down

Sri Lanka Cricket has named Kusal Mendis as Test captain with immediate effect, following Dhananjaya de Silva’s resignation from the role on October 8, 2026. The Selection Committee convened at SLC headquarters on the same day and confirmed the appointment.

Mendis already held the captaincy in ODIs and T20Is, so this change makes him Sri Lanka’s leader across all three formats. According to Ada Derana, his first assignment in the Test role will be a two-match series against Pakistan, which will serve as an early measure of his leadership in the longest format.

De Silva, who was appointed Sri Lanka’s 18th Test captain ahead of the 2024 season, succeeding Dimuth Karunaratne, confirmed through his resignation letter that he remains available to continue playing for Sri Lanka as a specialist batter.

Why did Dhananjaya de Silva resign as Test captain?

De Silva communicated his decision to the Selection Committee in a formal letter, making clear that the move was voluntary and driven by a desire to pass responsibility to a younger group of players within the squad.

His tenure as Test captain began ahead of the 2024 season when he succeeded Dimuth Karunaratne to become Sri Lanka’s 18th Test captain. His resignation on October 8, 2026 brings that chapter to a close, though he is expected to remain part of the Test setup in a playing capacity.

What does the Test captaincy mean for Kusal Mendis going forward?

Mendis carries substantial experience into this new responsibility. He has represented Sri Lanka in 75 Test matches and 343 international matches across all three formats, placing him among the most experienced players currently in the squad. He has scored 4,836 runs in Test cricket, averaging 36.36 and has 10 centuries to his name.

Having already led Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket, Mendis is familiar with the demands of captaincy at international level. The two-match Test series in Pakistan will be his first opportunity to shape Sri Lanka’s red-ball direction, and the selection and tactical choices he makes there will set the tone for his tenure in the format.