After Dhananjaya de Silva resigned from the position on October 8, 2026, Sri Lanka Cricket appointed Kusal Mendis as Test captain with immediate effect. On that same day, the Selection Committee met at SLC headquarters to confirm the appointment.
Sri Lanka Cricket appointed Kusal Mendis as Test captain
Kusal Mendis is now Sri Lanka’s leader in all three formats, having previously held the captaincy in ODIs and T20Is. A two-match series against Pakistan will be his first Test assignment, according to Ada Derana. This will be an early test of his leadership in the longest format.
De Silva, who replaced Dimuth Karunaratne as Sri Lanka’s 18th Test captain prior to the 2024 campaign, stated in his resignation letter that he is still available to play for Sri Lanka as a specialist batter.
In a formal letter, De Silva informed the Selection Committee of his decision, emphasising that it was voluntary and motivated by a desire to transfer responsibility to a younger group of players in the squad.
Prior to the 2024 season, he took over as Sri Lanka’s eighteenth Test captain, replacing Dimuth Karunaratne. That chapter comes to an end with his resignation on October 8, 2026, but he is anticipated to continue playing for the Test team.
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Kusal Mendis brings a wealth of experience to this new position. He is one of the team’s most seasoned players, having played for Sri Lanka in 343 international matches and 75 Test matches in all three formats. In Test cricket, he has amassed 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36 and ten hundreds.
Kusal Mendis is accustomed to the responsibilities of international captaincy, having previously led Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket. His first chance to influence Sri Lanka’s red-ball strategy will be during the two-match Test series in Pakistan, and the tactical and selection decisions he makes there will determine how he plays the format going forward.
