Jayawardene announces retirement from Test cricket

Galle (Sri Lanka), July 14 (IANS) Former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene Monday announced his retirement from Test cricket after the end of the Test series against South Africa and Pakistan in August.

The 37-year-old Jayawardene retired from World Twenty20 after Sri Lanka won the title in April this year. He will continue playing ODI cricket.

Jayawardene, in a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief executive officer Ashley De Silva, stated that he would like to retire from Test cricket after the forthcoming Test series against South Africa and Pakistan. 

”It was not an easy decision to make given that it has been a great privilege and honour representing my country during the past 18 years, but I believe this is the right time," said Jayawardene.

Jayawardene, who made his Test debut against India in 1997, has amassed 11,493 Test runs in his career. He is also currently joint-highest for a Sri Lanka batsman alongside Kumar Sangakkara. 

Jayawardene has played 145 Tests and has hit 33 hundreds and 48 fifties in 244 innings. He had alerted chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya to retire from Test cricket.

"He called me and said that he wants to play four more matches and retire from Test cricket, concentrating on ODI cricket until the World Cup," Jayasuriya was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.

"I think he is the best person to judge that. He has given outstanding service to Sri Lankan cricket, and is now giving a youngster a chance to come in and play Test cricket," he said.