Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain with immediate effect following Dhananjaya de Silva’s resignation from the role on October 8, 2026. The decision was confirmed by the SLC Selection Committee after it met at the board’s headquarters on the same day. Mendis already leads Sri Lanka in both ODIs and T20Is, and his appointment as Test captain means he will now be in charge of the national team across all three formats.

His first challenge in the longest format is expected to be a two-match Test series against Pakistan, giving him an early opportunity to establish his leadership approach. Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down voluntarily after serving as Sri Lanka’s Test captain since the start of the 2024 season. He had taken over from Dimuth Karunaratne to become the country’s 18th Test captain.

In his resignation letter, Dhananjaya de Silva made it clear that he remains committed to Sri Lanka cricket and is available to continue playing as a specialist batter.

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The decision, according to his communication to the Selection Committee, was motivated by his desire to hand over the leadership responsibility to a younger group of players within the squad. While his captaincy chapter has ended, De Silva is expected to remain an important part of Sri Lanka’s Test setup as a player.

News Alert! Kusal Mendis appointed new Test captain of Sri Lanka https://t.co/Sq8o9GQzJN

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 8, 2026

Kusal Mendis brings considerable international experience to the new role. The wicketkeeper-batter has played 75 Tests and 343 international matches across formats, making him one of the most experienced members of the current Sri Lankan squad.

In Test cricket, Kusal Mendis has accumulated 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36, including 10 centuries. His familiarity with international captaincy through Sri Lanka’s white-ball teams should also help him make the transition into Test leadership.

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The upcoming Pakistan series will therefore be an important first assignment for Kusal Mendis as Sri Lanka’s Test captain. His tactical decisions, team selection and ability to manage the demands of red-ball cricket will provide the first indication of the direction he wants to take the team.