Kusal Mendis Named Sri Lanka's New Test Captain After De Silva Steps Down

Sri Lanka Cricket moved swiftly on Thursday to fill its leadership vacancy, naming Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain just hours after Dhananjaya de Silva resigned from the role. The official announcement confirms Mendis will lead the red-ball side into the two-match away series against Pakistan, starting in Rawalpindi on November 9. De Silva, 35, ended a near-three-year tenure that began when he succeeded Dimuth Karunaratne in January 2024. He led Sri Lanka in 18 Tests, winning seven, losing eight and drawing three, and told the selectors he believed the mantle should pass to the next generation. He remains available as a player. For Mendis, 31, the appointment completes a remarkable leadership sweep. He already captains the ODI and T20I sides and now becomes an all-format skipper — a rare distinction in modern cricket. A veteran of 75 Tests with 4,836 runs since his 2015 debut against West Indies in Colombo, he brings deep experience to the role. The first test of his reign comes quickly. With Sri Lanka sitting seventh in the World Test Championship standings after a difficult year that included a home series defeat to India, Mendis must steady the ship against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and Lahore before the calendar turns to the new cycle.