Kusal Mendis gets captaincy of all Sri Lanka Test, ODI, and T20 teams.

Kusal Mendis has been appointed as the captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team across all formats. Following Dhananjaya de Silva's resignation from the Test captaincy today (October 08), Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that Kusal Mendis has been appointed as the new captain of the national Test team for the upcoming Pakistan series.

The 31-year-old Mendis is an experienced player who has played 75 Test matches and 343 international matches across all formats. He took over the white-ball captaincy after Dasun Shanaka's injury during the 2023 World Cup and will now also bear the responsibility of the Sri Lanka Test team.

Mendis's batting has been outstanding recently. He missed the T20 series against England due to a right calf injury sustained during the 2026 Lanka Premier League. Sri Lanka, led by Charith Asalanka, lost that series 3-0. However, Mendis, rejoining the team as ODI captain, brought a thrilling victory to Sri Lanka in the second ODI at Headingley, scoring 121 runs off 100 balls. With that magnificent innings, which included 14 fours and 3 sixes, he crossed the 5,000-run mark in ODIs. Although England won the series 2-1, Mendis was the highest run-scorer with 198 runs. These performances elevated his ODI batting rating to 674, which is his highest ODI rating in his cricketing career.

Speaking to the media before departing for Pakistan on October 04, Mendis stated that the Pakistan series would not be easy at all. However, he said the team could move forward strongly, overcoming the defeat in the England series. He also emphasized that his goal is to create a preliminary squad of about 15-17 players and a broader squad of about 25 players from now on, without waiting until the tournament, targeting the 2027 ODI World Cup. He particularly praised the experience of batsmen Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, and Charith Asalanka.

This tour of Pakistan is crucial for Sri Lanka. Pathum Nissanka has withdrawn from the T20 series due to a right leg discomfort, and Wanindu Hasaranga due to a back injury. The T20 series will be held in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11, and 13. Following that, a triangular ODI series, also involving England, is scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi and Lahore from October 18 to 31. Subsequently, the Test series, led by new captain Kusal Mendis, will commence on November 9 in Rawalpindi.

Born in Moratuwa on February 2, 1995, Mendis entered the cricket field through Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa. He captained the Sri Lanka youth team in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup and earned his Test cap in 2015. He currently has 10 Test centuries, and his highest Test score is 245 runs against Ireland in 2023.

His journey to the national team captaincy has not been a smooth one. His cricketing career has been marked by several controversial incidents, such as the death of a 64-year-old cyclist after being hit by his car in Panadura in 2020, a one-year international match ban imposed for violating the bio-secure bubble during the 2021 England tour, breaking a glass door at the Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in 2023, and being fined for abusing umpires during a match against Bangladesh in 2024.

However, amidst all these obstacles and criticisms, he has risen again. Mendis, who was leading the white-ball teams, now also bears the significant responsibility of Test captaincy. The Pakistan tour will be the first challenge in his new journey.