Dhananjaya de Silva Steps Down as Sri Lanka Test Captain

All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva has suddenly stepped down as the captain of Sri Lanka’s Test team. He took over the role in January 2024, replacing Dimuth Karunaratne, and had been serving as the Test captain since then. In a letter sent to the selection committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), he announced his immediate resignation from the captaincy.

Explaining his decision, Dhananjaya said that it was time to give the opportunity to the younger generation. “My objective view is that the leadership baton should now be handed over to the next generation,” he said. Although he has stepped down as captain, the 34-year-old cricketer confirmed that he will continue to represent Sri Lanka at the international level as a player.

Sri Lanka Cricket Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ashley de Silva respected Dhananjaya’s decision and thanked him for his contributions as captain. In a statement, he said, “Sri Lanka Cricket thanks Dhananjaya for his excellent leadership of the Test team and wishes him all the very best for the remainder of his career.”

Under Dhananjaya de Silva’s captaincy, Sri Lanka played 18 Tests, winning seven of them. During his tenure as captain, he scored 1,130 runs at an average of 36.45 with the bat and took nine wickets at an average of 44.44 with the ball.