Dimuth Karunaratne: The second Test against Australia, which is set to take place on February 6 in Galle, will herald the end of an impressive international career for the former captain of Sri Lanka, Dimuth Karunaratne. It carries a huge significance for the 35-year-old Sri Lankan in that it will be his 100th Test match. This retirement will put him on a special list of Sri Lankan cricketers to have ever achieved the feat, being only the 7th player from his country to do so. The left-handed opener has been the backbone powering Sri Lanka’s batting line-up in the World Test Championship (WTC) era, exemplifying leadership coupled with batting efforts from the front.
Highlights of Dimuth Karunaratne’s Retirement News
Retirement Announcement: Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka’s former captain, will retire from international cricket after his 100th Test match against Australia, which will be played at Galle on February 6, 2025.
Career Stats: Karunaratne has scored 7,172 runs in 99 Tests since his debut in 2012, with 16 hundreds.
Injuries: Between 2024 and 2025, he averaged 25.85 across seven Tests since his last fifty on September 2024 against New Zealand.
Most Memorable Innings: “My best innings was when I captained Sri Lanka, scoring a century against India in Bengaluru (2022), in what were difficult conditions under lights against Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.”
Few Members: Karunaratne will become the seventh Sri Lankan cricketer to play 100 Tests.
Final Test Ambition: Karunaratne wants to do well in his farewell Test as Sri Lanka aims to level the 2-match series against Australia.
Dimuth Karunaratne has decided to hang up after his 100th Test.
Karunaratne debuted in the Test cricket scene in 2012 and has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable batsmen. A total of 7,172 runs have been scored in 99 matches with 16 Test centuries. His consistent batting performance at the top of the order has been a vital cog in many key Sri Lankan victories. However, his bat has been silent of late. In his last seven Tests, he has been able to muster only 182 runs. His last half-century came against New Zealand in September 2024, while the ongoing series against Australia has proved disappointing for him with just two single-digit scores in the first Test. Nevertheless, besides being in a poor phase now, his contribution to Sri Lankan cricket has been immense, with several match-winning innings and carrying the innings in tough conditions.
Which were the memorable Test innings as Sri Lanka’s captain?
Karunaratne stated in a conversation with ESPNcricinfo that my recalling one of the most grueling and satisfying of my cricketing innings before his 100th Test matches the description of a true captaincy. The innings in focus were part of the pink ball test against India in Bengaluru in the year 2022. According to Karunaratne, “The most difficult part was actually batting with Bumrah and Shami under the lights.” He told Kusal Mendis that if he could survive that terrible one, he would score a hundred. He said, “This was my best innings as the captain of the Sri Lankan team. It was a huge test during which we had to face a few overs against the new ball in the night hours. I remember telling Kusal Mendis that if I survived that time, I would score a century the next day. It was very difficult to watch Bumrah and Shami bowling that night, but then everything went right, and I was able to score runs. It was my best innings as captain.”.
With the start of the second Test in Galle on February 6, Sri Lanka is now in a position to win the series at level pegging. Karunaratne will become the seventh Sri Lankan cricketer to play 100 Tests and join an exclusive group of legends. Yet, in technical aspects, he had a dismal outing in the first Test against Australia with the bat, scoring two inconsequential scores by his standards. Now, as he heads down the path of retirement from international cricket, he wishes to give a fitting tribute to his career by playing well in his last Test.
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