Dhananjaya de Silva Steps Down As Sri Lanka's Test Captain With Immediate Effect

Dhananjaya de Silva steps down | Source- AFPAs the season of captains stepping down continues, Dhananjaya de Silva has resigned as Sri Lanka's Test captain. Under him, the Islanders recently drew a historic series against India.Although he announced his decision the step down in a written letter to the Sri Lankan board, Dhananjaya also mentioned that he wants to continue playing for Sri Lanka. Dhananjaya de Silva steps down as Sri Lanka's Test captainOn Tuesday, Dhananjaya de Silva decided to step down as Sri Lanka's Test captain after taking the charge in 2024. “It’s my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation,” said Dhananjaya de Silva, as quoted in SLC's press release.The all-rounder, true to his nature, served as an astute leader after taking over from Dimuth Karunaratne. Under him, the national team played 18 Test matches, winning seven and drawing three. His captaincy helped the Asian team bag some remarkable victories, including the 2-nil victory at home vs New Zealand and the Oval win against England. ALSO READPakistan England Sri Lanka Tri Series Gets Last Minute Broadcaster After Blackout FearsDe Silva, who has racked up 4431 runs in 69 matches, scored 1130 of those as captain, featuring three centuries and seven fifties during his time at the helm. That said, his average slipped by over three points compared to his 39.77 average while batting. Who will replace Dhananjaya de Silva as next Sri Lanka's Test captain?Dhananjaya de Silva’s resignation seemed inevitable as reports circulated that Kusal Mendis would take over as all-format captain. With the former Sri Lankan captain stepping down, Mendis would almost certainly take over as Test captain from the Pakistan Tests onward. Once considered the backbone of Sri Lanka’s middle order in ODIs, the all-rounder hasn’t featured in the Lankan colours since January 2026. Moreover, he wasn’t picked for the squad for the upcoming Tri-Series in Pakistan.It would be interesting to see how the Sri Lankan selectors go forward with the 35-year-old de Silva in the longest format. Sri Lanka’s next Test outing starts on November 9 in Rawalpindi, before the caravan moves to Lahore for the second Test from November 17-21. ALSO READMartin Guptill Joins Coaching Setup For New Zealand Women