Sri Lanka’s cricket authorities on Monday named all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan as captain for the upcoming tour of England.
Dilshan will lead the side in all three formats of the game - Tests, one-day internationals and Twenty20s - on the tour, which starts in May, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
The 34-year-old replaces Kumar Sangakkara, who stepped down after Sri Lanka lost the World Cup final to India earlier this month.
The five-member national selection panel headed by Duleep Mendis, a former Sri Lanka skipper, did not name a vice-captain.
“The prospective candidates are nursing injuries and their availability for the forthcoming tour is still in question,” the statement said.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews, 23, has been tipped to be vice-captain, but he is nursing a side strain suffered during the World Cup semifinal.
Opening batsman Dilshan, 34, was the leading run-scorer in the World Cup with 500 at an average of 62.50.
He has led Sri Lanka once before, on a tour of Zimbabwe in June last year, when his team won a one-day tri-series which also featured India.
This is the first time Dilshan has been picked to lead his country in a Test series.
Chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis said the tour squad would be selected after Dilshan returns from the Indian Premier League where he is representing Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Sri Lanka have told all their IPL players to return home by May 5 to prepare for the tour.
The squad are due to leave for England on May 10 for a series of three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 international.
The first Test in Cardiff starts on May 26.
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