Sports

Kusal Mendis Named Sri Lanka Test Captain Ahead of Pakistan Tour

By Akshay Singh

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially appointed wicket‑keeper‑batter Kusal Mendis as the full‑time captain of the national men’s Test team. The decision was confirmed by the national selection committee after a meeting at SLC headquarters in Colombo. It followed Dhananjaya de Silva’s resignation from the role with immediate effect. The 31‑year‑old Mendis, who is currently the white‑ball skipper, will take charge of the red‑ball side, marking a new leadership era for Sri Lanka in Test cricket. SLC issued a statement announcing the appointment and noting that the upcoming two‑match Test series in Pakistan will be Mendis’s first assignment as Test captain. "It’s my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation," Mendis said. Mendis has played 75 Tests and over 340 international matches across formats, scoring 4,836 runs at an average of 36.36, including 10 centuries and 23 half‑centuries. He has also captained the white‑ball side in 22 ODIs and 3 T20Is. Sri Lanka will tour Pakistan for a two‑match Test series starting on 9 November in Rawalpindi, with the second Test in Lahore from 17 to 21 November. Fans will watch closely to see how the new Test skipper performs in his first assignment as red‑ball captain.