Dimuth Karunaratne, the distinguished Sri Lankan opener, announced his decision to retire from Test cricket following his landmark 100th Test against Australia in Galle. The 36-year-old left-hander has crafted an illustrious career, amassing 7,172 runs in 99 Tests. He ranks fourth on Sri Lanka's all-time list of Test run-scorers. Since his debut in November 2012, only David Warner has scored more runs as an opener. Karunaratne's announcement marks the end of an era for Sri Lanka's cricket team.
Karunaratne, known for his consistency and grit as an opener in red-ball cricket, has also captained Sri Lanka in 30 Tests from 2019 to 2023. Under his leadership, the team achieved a balance with 12 wins and 12 losses. Notably, he guided Sri Lanka to a historic 2-0 series win in South Africa. Despite these accomplishments, recent form challenges have shadowed Karunaratne's career, as he has averaged just 27.05 in 11 Tests since the start of 2024.
"It was the right time to go, considering there are three or four younger players who could come in for the next WTC cycle." – Dimuth Karunaratne
The decision to retire follows Karunaratne's participation in 50 one-day internationals, with his most recent appearance at the 2023 World Cup. His final Test will not only be a personal milestone but also a poignant farewell at Galle, the venue where he first appeared on the international stage.
"Plus, this match was in Galle, where I made my debut, so it will be nice to finish things there." – Dimuth Karunaratne
Throughout his career, Karunaratne has faced the challenging role of an opening batter, often tasked with laying a solid foundation for his team. His resilience and determination have been critical to Sri Lanka's successes over the years.
"Playing 100 Tests is a tough thing to accomplish, especially when you're an opening batter and you're doing the dirty work for the team." – Dimuth Karunaratne
Despite his achievements, Karunaratne expressed a sense of unfulfilled ambition regarding his career statistics.
"If I have regrets, one of them would be not being able to get to 10,000 Test runs." – Dimuth Karunaratne
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