Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne to Retire After 100th Test Against Australia
One of Sri Lanka’s most resilient opening batters, Dimuth Karunaratne, has announced that he will retire from Test cricket after playing his 100th match—the final Test of Sri Lanka’s two-match series against Australia in Galle on Thursday.
Karunaratne, 36, has been a pillar at the top of Sri Lanka’s batting order for over a decade, grinding out tough runs against the best bowling attacks in the world. His farewell Test at Galle will be a fitting end to a career that started at the same venue in 2012 against New Zealand.
A Decorated Career Spanning Over a Decade
Since making his Test debut, Karunaratne has played 99 Tests, scoring 7,172 runs at an average of 39.94, with 16 centuries and 39 half-centuries. He has also featured in 50 ODIs, though he never played a T20I.
The former Sri Lanka captain will become the seventh player in the country’s history to reach the 100-Test milestone, joining legendary names like Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, and Angelo Mathews.
Speaking about his decision, Karunaratne said:
“It was the right time to go, considering there are three or four younger players who could come in for the next World Test Championship cycle,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
“After the first Test against Australia ended, I told Sri Lanka Cricket that the next Test would be my last. Playing 100 Tests is a tough thing to accomplish, especially when you’re an opening batter doing the hard work for the team.”
Missed Milestone & Reflections on His Journey
While Karunaratne leaves the game as one of Sri Lanka’s finest Test openers, he admits that one of his biggest regrets is not reaching the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket.
“If I have regrets, one of them would be not being able to get to 10,000 Test runs. I thought the way I was going in 2017, 2018, and 2019, I had a chance. But then COVID hit, and Sri Lanka don’t play as many Tests anymore.”
His recent form has dipped, managing just 182 runs in his last seven matches, with only one half-century coming against New Zealand in September 2023.
Future Plans: Coaching & Taking a Break
Karunaratne isn’t planning to step away from cricket entirely. While he will take some time off after retirement, he intends to transition into coaching.
“I’ll take a bit of a break for myself after so many years playing cricket. But eventually, I’d like to get involved again.”
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka face a tough challenge in their final Test, having been completely outplayed by Australia in the first match, losing by an innings and 242 runs.
As Karunaratne prepares to walk out one final time, Sri Lanka will hope to send off their veteran opener with a memorable performance. Regardless of the result, his legacy as a gritty, determined, and selfless team player is already firmly established.
