Sri Lanka Cricket names Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain after Dhananjaya de Silva steps down from the role. De Silva resigns with immediate effect, saying it is time to “pass the mantle to the next generation.” Multiple outlets report that he communicates the decision to Sri Lanka Cricket.
De Silva is described as having led Sri Lanka through an 18-match tenure, including victories over Afghanistan and Bangladesh. ESPN Cricinfo and other reports say de Silva remains available for selection for the next Test series. The team’s next Test assignment is in Pakistan in November, with Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship at seventh place at the time of the announcement.
Mendis, 31, is reported to already captain Sri Lanka in ODIs and T20Is. He has played 75 Tests, scoring 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36, with 10 centuries and 23 fifties, and is now given responsibility for the Test format as well.
