Dhananjaya de Silva has resigned the Sri Lanka Test captaincy with immediate effect, saying he wants to hand the mantle to the next generation, and he stays available as a player.
Dhananjaya de Silva has stepped down as Sri Lanka's Test captain with immediate effect, ESPNcricinfo reported on Thursday 8 October 2026. He informed Sri Lanka Cricket's selection committee through a letter and confirmed that he remains available to represent Sri Lanka as a player.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Decision | Stepped down as Test captain with immediate effect, announced on 8 October 2026; remains available as a player |
| Captaincy record | 18 Tests as captain since January 2024: 7 wins, 8 defeats, 3 draws (win percentage 38.88) |
| Batting as captain | 1,130 runs at an average of 36.45, plus 9 wickets |
| Career | 69 Tests, 4,431 runs and 43 wickets; Test debut against Australia in 2016; age 35 |
| Next series | Two Tests in Pakistan: Rawalpindi from November 9, Lahore from November 17; no successor named yet |
The letter
In his letter to the selection committee, de Silva wrote: "It's my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation." He also made clear that he is still available to play for Sri Lanka.
SLC CEO Ashley de Silva responded: "Sri Lanka Cricket wishes him the very best for the remainder of his career and thanks him for the leadership he provided to our Test team."
A stint that faded late
De Silva took over the Test captaincy in January 2024 after Dimuth Karunaratne. He led Sri Lanka in 18 Tests, winning 7, losing 8 and drawing 3, a win percentage of 38.88. With the bat as captain he made 1,130 runs at an average of 36.45 and also picked up 9 wickets.
The high point came early. In the March 2024 Test against Bangladesh he scored twin centuries, and Sri Lanka won by 328 runs. Across his career he has played 69 Tests, scoring 4,431 runs and taking 43 wickets since his debut against Australia in 2016.
As background, reports say his final outing as captain was the home series against India, which Sri Lanka lost 1-0, and some outlets reported last month that he was facing the sack after that series. This is reported context from secondary sources, and the announcement itself describes a decision he communicated in his letter.
What comes next
Sri Lanka's next assignment is two Tests in Pakistan, the first starting in Rawalpindi on November 9 and the second in Lahore on November 17. No successor as Test captain has been named yet.
Read the full story on ESPNcricinfo. ESPNcricinfo.
Drafts are where leagues are won. BuildXI is a fan game, not affiliated with the IPL or BCCI, where you run your own draft from IPL history: spin eleven real IPL squads from 2008 to 2025, pick one player from each and play fourteen league matches. The target is 14-0.