Sri Lanka-based chief selector Upul Tharanga has confirmed Dhananjaya de Silva as the replacement for Dimuth Karunaratne as Test captain, making him the 18th player from Sri Lanka to lead in Tests. Karunaratne held the post for 30 Tests, with 12 wins, 12 losses, and six draws, including notable wins in South Africa in early 2019.
Karunaratne took over the leadership during a turbulent period in Sri Lankan cricket, bringing stability and calm to the dressing room. His captaincy coincided with a peak in his batting performance, with an average of 49.86 compared to his career average of 40.93. He also reached the top of the Test batting rankings during this period.
Dhananjaya, with 51 Tests, ten centuries, and 13 fifties, will lead in his first assignment against Afghanistan in a one-off Test starting on February 6. Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga have also been appointed as captains for the ODI and T20I teams, respectively.