Published on: Oct 9, 2026 11:29 am IST|Updated on: Oct 9, 2026 11:29 am IST
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially appointed wicket-keeper-batter Kusal Mendis as the full-time skipper of the national men’s Test team. The decision was confirmed by the national selection committee after a crucial meeting at the SLC headquarters in the country’s capital. i.e., Colombo. The decision to elect Kusal as the new skipper came on the same day following Dhananjaya de Silva’s decision to step down from the role with immediate effect.
The 31-year-old Mendis, who is the current white-ball skipper of Sri Lanka, will take full charge of the red-ball setup, marking the start of a fresh leadership era for Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka Cricket issued an official statement confirming the appointment of Kusal Mendis as the new Test skipper.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain of the national men’s team. The decision was taken by the Selection Committee at a meeting held today at SLC headquarters. The upcoming two-match Test series in Pakistan will be his first assignment as Test captain.”
“It’s my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation.”
Although this marks his first stint as the Test skipper, Kusal Mendis is no stranger to handling pressure on the big stage. Having represented his country in 75 Tests and over 340 international matches across formats, Kusal knows how to carry the team together. Also, the fact that he is currently serving as the white-ball skipper of the team, Kusal brings a wealth of tactical knowledge and game awareness.
Talking about his numbers in Test cricket, Kusal has accumulated 4836 runs at an average of 36.36, which includes 10 centuries and 23 half-centuries. Furthermore, he has captained the white-ball side in 22 ODIs and 3 T20Is, making him an eligible successor to Dhananjaya de Silva.
Sri Lanka will be touring Pakistan for a two-match Test series set to commence on November 9 in Rawalpindi. This will be the first official test assignment for Kusal Mendis as the red-ball skipper. The second Test match of the series will be played in Lahore from November 17 to November 21. Fans will be watching closely to see how the new Test skipper starts in his first assignment as the red-ball skipper.