Dhananjaya de Silva has stepped down as Sri Lanka’s Take a look at captain with fast impact, bringing his two-and-a-half-year stint as the team’s leader to an end. Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the decision on Thursday, October 8, after the all-rounder informed the national selection committee of his choice.
De Silva took over the Take a look at captaincy in January 2024 following Dimuth Karunaratne’s departure from the function. He’ll proceed to make himself out there as a participant in Take a look at cricket.
Dhananjaya de Silva’s report as Sri Lanka Take a look at captain
De Silva led Sri Lanka in 18 Assessments between 2024 and 2026. His report included seven wins, eight defeats and three draws, giving him a win share of 38.88. The 18 matches additionally put him among Sri Lanka’s extra experienced Take a look at captains.
Sri Lanka have had a number of captains with longer and extra successful records in Take a look at cricket. Arjuna Ranatunga remains the nation’s most experienced Take a look at captain, having led the facet in 56 matches. Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene are tied for the most Take a look at wins as Sri Lanka captain, with 18 victories every from 38 matches. Angelo Mathews won 13 Assessments as captain, while Dimuth Karunaratne finished with 12 victories.
De Silva’s captaincy additionally included some notable particular person and team performances. Sri Lanka won their one-off Take a look at against Afghanistan quickly after he took charge and later secured a dominant victory over Bangladesh in March 2024. De Silva himself scored twin centuries in that Bangladesh Take a look at, while Sri Lanka won by 328 runs.
Dhananjaya de Silva steps down as Sri Lanka Take a look at captain
De Silva defined that his choice was based mostly on his perception that the Take a look at team should now be handed to the following technology. Slightly than waiting for a future change, Dhananjaya de Silva chose to step aside immediately while remaining out there to contribute with the bat and ball.
“It’s my real opinion that the mantle should go down to the following technology,” de Silva mentioned.
Sri Lanka Cricket thanked Dhananjaya de Silva for his contribution to the Take a look at facet and confirmed that the all-rounder would proceed to be thought of for national selection.
“Sri Lanka Cricket needs him the perfect for the rest of his career and thanks him for the management he supplied to our Take a look at team,” SLC CEO Ashley de Silva mentioned.
Sri Lanka are but to announce his successor. The timing means the selectors will now need to establish a brand new Take a look at captain as the team moves into the following section of the 2025-27 World Take a look at Championship cycle.
Dhananjaya de Silva lost his last Take a look at sequence against India
De Silva’s last sequence as Sri Lanka Take a look at captain got here against India in August 2026. India won the opening Take a look at in Galle by 165 runs after posting 462 of their first innings and 193 within the second. Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 284 and 206, leaving India with a 1-0 lead within the two-match sequence.
Dhananjaya de Silva contributed a combating 59 in Sri Lanka’s second innings but was finally dismissed by Manav Suthar as India accomplished the victory.
The second Take a look at on the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo ended in a draw, which means India took the sequence 1-0. De Silva scored 8 and 23 in that match, which became his last recreation as Sri Lanka’s Take a look at captain.
Supply: cricketaddictor.com
