Dhananjaya de Silva steps down as Sri Lanka’s Test captain

Dhananjaya de Silva has stepped down as Sri Lanka’s Test captain with immediate effect, ending his captaincy after 18 matches. However, the 35-year-old will continue to be selected as a player.De Silva informed the Sri Lanka Cricket Board’s selection committee of his decision in a letter, saying he believed the leadership should now be handed over to the next generation.“It is my genuine opinion that the mantle should pass to the next generation,” de Silva said in the letter.De Silva took over as Sri Lanka’s Test captain in January 2024 after Dimuth Karunaratne retired. During his 18 Tests between 2024 and 2026, Sri Lanka won seven matches, lost eight and drew three.His tenure included series wins against Afghanistan at home, Bangladesh home and away and New Zealand at home.One of his standout performances as captain came in only his second Test in charge when he scored a century in both innings at Sylhet to help Sri Lanka secure a 328-run victory over Bangladesh. He added two more centuries during his captaincy and averaged 36.45 with the bat.De Silva’s decision comes after a difficult period for Sri Lankan cricket. The team is currently seventh in the World Test Championship standings after a series defeat in the West Indies and a home series loss to India.

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Share an opinionDe Silva, who has played 69 Tests for Sri Lanka, remains one of the most experienced members of the squad.“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes him all the best for the rest of his career and thanks him for the leadership he has provided to our Test team,” said SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.Sri Lanka are yet to announce a replacement for De Silva. Their next Test assignment is a two-match series against Pakistan starting in Rawalpindi on November 9.