Last Updated: October 8, 2026 07:30 PM
Sri Lankan cricket has just made a big leadership move. The news arrived quickly and surprised many cricket fans worldwide.
A New Captain For The Red-Ball Side
The news of Kusal Mendis named new Sri Lanka Test captain arrived on October 8, 2026. Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the decision after a selection committee meeting.
The 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter takes charge with immediate effect from today. He already captains the team in ODIs and T20Is too. Now he leads Sri Lanka in all three international formats.
Many fans call this de Silva’s shocking removal, but the facts differ. Reports say Dhananjaya de Silva chose to step down himself when he felt the Test team should pass to the next generation.
De Silva became captain in January 2024 after Dimuth Karunaratne. He remains available for selection as a regular player.
Dhananjaya de Silva’s Record As Test Captain
De Silva led Sri Lanka in 18 Tests during his time as captain. His side won 7, lost 8, and drew 3 matches. That gives him an overall win percentage of just 38.88%. His final series came against India at home in August 2026.
India won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs. The Colombo Test ended in a draw, so India won 1-0. This result added to the talk about de Silva’s shocking removal.
Mendis has played 343 international matches across all formats. That total includes 75 Tests, 159 ODIs, and 109 T20Is. He has scored 4,836 Test runs at an average of 36.36.
Those Test runs include 10 centuries and 23 fifties in total. In ODIs, he has made 5,160 runs with 7 centuries. His T20I strike rate stands at 130.20 across 2,694 runs. Overall, he has scored 12,690 international runs and 17 centuries.
Captaincy Experience And The Road Ahead
Mendis captained Sri Lanka in 22 ODIs between 2023 and 2026. He won 101, lost 10, and had 2 no-results in total. He also led three T20Is in 2026, winning one of them.
His first Test task is a two-match series against Pakistan. This will be his first time leading in the longest format. Sri Lanka’s new Test captain story now moves to the field.
Many believe the decision to name Kusal Mendis the new Sri Lanka Test captain marks a fresh beginning.
