Kusal Mendis to Captain Sri Lanka in Pakistan Tests After De Silva Steps Down
Kusal Mendis is Sri Lanka's new Test captain after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down on 8 October. His first Tests are in Pakistan from 9 November 2026.
Kusal Mendis will captain Sri Lanka in the two Tests against Pakistan in November, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on 8 October 2026. He takes over from Dhananjaya de Silva, who stepped down the same day. Mendis already leads Sri Lanka in the T20Is and the ODI tri-series, so he now captains them in every match of the Pakistan tour.
We read both SLC media releases of 8 October on the board's own website, then checked them against the PCB's fixture list for the tour. The Pakistan series in Rawalpindi and Lahore will be Mendis's first assignment as Test captain, SLC says.
Kusal Mendis replaces Dhananjaya de Silva as Test captain
SLC's selection committee named Kusal Mendis as the new Test captain at a meeting on 8 October. Dhananjaya de Silva had stepped down earlier that day with immediate effect. He stays available as a player, SLC says.
| Item | What SLC said on 8 October |
|---|---|
| New Test captain | Kusal Mendis |
| Outgoing captain | Dhananjaya de Silva, stepped down with immediate effect |
| First assignment | Two-match Test series in Pakistan |
| Mendis's Tests | 75 |
| Mendis's internationals | 343 across all three formats |
| De Silva's status | Available as a player |
De Silva explained his decision in a letter to the selectors. "It's my genuine opinion that the mantle should go down to the next generation," he wrote, according to SLC's release. SLC's chief executive, Ashley de Silva, thanked him for his leadership.
SLC did not give any other reason for the change, and it has not named a vice-captain. It also has not announced its Test squad for Pakistan yet.
Mendis now leads Sri Lanka in all three formats on this tour
Kusal Mendis is captain of Sri Lanka's T20I squad, its ODI squad for the tri-series and now its Test side. That makes him the one leader Pakistan will face from the first T20I on 9 October to the last day of the second Test on 21 November.
| Part of tour | Dates | Sri Lanka captain | Pakistan captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 T20Is, Rawalpindi | 9, 11, 13 October | Kusal Mendis | Sahibzada Farhan |
| ODI tri-series with England | 18 to 31 October | Kusal Mendis | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| Warm-up match, Islamabad | 4 to 6 November | Not stated | Not a Pakistan match |
| 1st Test, Rawalpindi | 9 to 13 November | Kusal Mendis | Not yet named |
| 2nd Test, Lahore | 17 to 21 November | Kusal Mendis | Not yet named |
Pakistan's Test squad and Test captain for the Sri Lanka series have not been announced by the PCB. Pakistan's T20I and ODI sides already have different captains, Sahibzada Farhan and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
What the change means for the Pakistan Tests
A new captain on his first Test assignment, in Pakistan, is a real test. Mendis has the experience, with 75 Tests behind him. But leading a side through five-day games is a different job from leading a T20 team, and he gets almost no time to settle.
There is one upside for him. He will have spent five weeks in Pakistan before the first Test starts. By 9 November he will know the Rawalpindi pitch, the weather and most of the Pakistan players far better than a captain flying in for one series.
For Pakistan, the series matters for the table. Both Tests count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025 to 2027. The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test series has its dates, venues and match officials fixed, and the PCB has published Test ticket prices, but no sale date.
Key dates for the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests
The first Test starts on Monday 9 November at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and the second on Tuesday 17 November at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Sri Lanka play a three-day warm-up in Islamabad from 4 to 6 November first. Squads and start times are still to come.
- 13 October: last of the three T20Is in Rawalpindi.
- 18 to 31 October: ODI tri-series with England, Rawalpindi then Lahore.
- 4 to 6 November: Sri Lanka's three-day warm-up match in Islamabad.
- 9 to 13 November: 1st Test, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
- 17 to 21 November: 2nd Test, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Watch for two announcements next: Sri Lanka's Test squad from SLC, and Pakistan's Test squad from the PCB. Neither had been published when we checked on 9 October. Until then, the T20Is in Rawalpindi on 9, 11 and 13 October show Mendis as captain on this tour, and the tri-series squads show the 50-over group he will lead after that.
Common questions
Who is Sri Lanka's new Test captain?
Kusal Mendis. SLC named him on 8 October 2026 after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down.
Why did Dhananjaya de Silva step down?
He told the selectors the role should pass to the next generation. SLC gave no other reason.
Is Dhananjaya de Silva still playing for Sri Lanka?
Yes. SLC says he remains available as a player.
When is Kusal Mendis's first Test as captain?
The 1st Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, starting on 9 November 2026.
Has Sri Lanka named its Test squad for Pakistan?
Not yet. SLC had not announced the Test squad when we checked on 9 October.
Who is Pakistan's Test captain against Sri Lanka?
The PCB has not named Pakistan's Test squad or captain for the series yet.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 9 October 2026 at about 15:10 PKT. The captaincy change, the quote and Mendis's 75 Tests and 343 internationals are from two SLC media releases dated 8 October 2026, "Kusal Mendis Appointed Test Captain" and "Dhananjaya de Silva Steps Down as Test Captain", on srilankacricket.lk. His T20I and ODI captaincy is from SLC releases of 2 and 4 October. Pakistan's captains are from the PCB release of 5 October. Tour dates are from the PCB's fixture list for the 2026-27 home season.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
