Kusal Mendis to be offered Test captaincy - (Source: AFP)In a significant development, star keeper-batter Kusal Mendis is set to be appointed as Sri Lanka’s Test captain for the upcoming series against Pakistan. Mendis will replace Dhananjaya de Silva.Sri Lanka will square off against Pakistan for a two-match Test series, starting from November 9. Meanwhile, a report from Nibraz Ramzan stated that the board is looking to replace Dhananjaya de Silva with Kusal Mendis, who recently recovered from injury.Sri Lanka looking to appoint Kusal Mendis as all-format captainKusal Mendis is the captain of the ODI team. Recently, Sri Lanka announced their T20I squad for the Pakistan series, where Mendis replaced Charith Asalanka as the T20I captain. Now, in the latest developments, Mendis is set to be given all-format captaincy by Sri Lankan Cricket.Why is Sri Lanka Removing Dhananjaya de Silva?Dhananjaya de Silva was roped in as Sri Lanka captain in 2024. In 2 years, he has led the Island Nation in 18 matches. Under his tenure, Sri Lanka won just 7 matches and lost 8 games. He has a win percentage of just 38.88. ALSO READSri Lanka ODI Squad For Tri-Series In Pakistan Announced; Kusal Mendis To LeadRecently, Sri Lanka hosted India for a two-match Test series, where they suffered a 0-1 defeat. Therefore, SLC is looking for a change, and Kusal Mendis seems to be the right choice. Mendis will lead the Test side for the first time in his career.Kusal Mendis’ Performance in Test CricketKusal Mendis is known for his white-ball heroics, but the star keeper-batter has been doing well in Test cricket as well. In 139 innings, he has scored 4836 runs, averaging 36.6 with the bat. Kusal Mendis has 10 centuries and 23 fifties to his name.However, Kusal Mendis has struggled with injuries and missed the recent Test series against India. In 2026, Mendis has played just 4 innings, scoring 79 runs, averaging 19.75 with the bat.At present, Sri Lanka are taking a huge risk by investing in Kusal Mendis, who has a WTC final task in hand. Sri Lanka have never qualified for WTC final and in the present cycle, they are placed 7th on the table.ALSO READShoaib Bashir Set To Be Retained In Central Contract Despite Playing Two Tests In A Year
