Kusal Mendis has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s new Test captain, taking over from Dhananjaya de Silva, who resigned from the role on Thursday morning. Mendis, a seasoned player with over a decade of international experience, will lead the team for the upcoming two-Test series in Pakistan this November.
De Silva, who captained Sri Lanka in 18 Tests from February 2024 through August 2026, decided to step down to make way for “the next generation.” Despite relinquishing the captaincy, he remains available for selection, ensuring his talents remain an asset for the team.
Although Mendis is new to Test captaincy, he is no stranger to leadership roles within the national team. He has previously captained the one-day international (ODI) side intermittently and was appointed as their permanent white-ball captain in May of this year. His record in ODIs includes an even split of ten wins and ten losses across 22 matches. Mendis also led Sri Lanka in a T20 international series in the West Indies earlier this year, although the team suffered a 2-1 defeat.
With 75 Test matches under his belt and 4836 runs scored, placing him as the 12th-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in this format, Mendis faces a challenging yet promising period as Test captain. This transition comes during a tough phase for Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship, with the team almost certainly missing out on a top-two finish this cycle.
De Silva’s term as captain was marked by a challenging fixture schedule. The team managed seven wins, eight losses, and three draws under his leadership. Notably, they triumphed over Bangladesh in a home series in June 2025. However, inconsistencies have been a concern, highlighted by a dearth of Test matches, with the team playing the minimum required 12 Tests in the current World Test Championship cycle. De Silva has previously expressed his frustration at the lack of fixtures, pointing out the detrimental impact on Test cricket specialists.
As Sri Lanka embarks on this leadership transition, Mendis has the opportunity to build on his predecessor’s efforts and guide the team through the next phase, adjusting to the evolving dynamics of international cricket.
