Veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder to retire from Tests after 1st SL vs BAN Test in June 2025

Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews announced his retirement from Tests through his X handle on Friday, May 23. The 37-year-old played in the side's most recent Test series at home against Australia in February.

He will play the first Test of the upcoming home series against Bangladesh, starting June 17, before walking away from the format. Mathews is Sri Lanka's third all-time leading run-scorer in Tests with 8,167 runs at an average of 44.62, including 16 centuries, in 118 matches.

The right-hander has been integral to the Sri Lankan Test side since his debut in 2009. Batting aside, Mathews also finishes with 33 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, in Tests.

His retirment post on X read:

"With a grateful heart and unforgettable memories, it is time for me to say goodbye to the most cherished format of the game, International Test Cricket. The past 17 years of playing cricket for Sri Lanka has been my highest honour and pride. Nothing can match that feeling of patriotism and servitude when one dons the National jersey."

He continued:

"I have given everything to cricket and cricket has given everything to me in return and made me the person I am today. The first Test against Bangladesh in June will be my last red-ball appearance for my country."

Mathews also captained Sri Lanka in 34 Tests from 2013 to 2017, winning 13 and losing 15 with six draws.

Angelo Mathews remains available for white-ball selection

Angelo Mathews confirmed his availability for Sri Lanka in the white-ball formats even after his Test retirement. The veteran all-rounder has played 226 ODIs and 90 T20s, with over 7,000 runs combined across the two formats.

In his retirement post, Mathews confirmed his availability in white-ball cricket, saying:

"While I bid adieu to the Test format, as discussed with selectors I will remain available for selection for the white ball format, if and when my country needs me."

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Mathews' last white-ball appearance for Sri Lanka came in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. He hasn't played ODIs since the 2023 World Cup in India.

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Venkatesh has been writing cricket news, listicle and feature articles for Sportskeeda for over a year. He loves cricket because of the diversity of the playing fields and its unparalleled nuances, which no other sport presents. He also enjoys the analytical and quantitative side of the sport, which originates from his MBA degree and 10 years of experience in the IT industry in companies like Infosys, Atos and TCS.

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He started watching cricket in the late 1990s, having been impressed with South Africa and New Zealand’s gentleman-like attitude. Domestically, he supports the Chennai Super Kings for their ability to bring the best out of their players owing to a friendly and conducive team environment.

He admires three cricketers the most – Brian Lara for his batting style, AB de Villiers for changing the paradigm of batting and MS Dhoni for his unique cerebral approach to field placings and batting. Along with cricket, Venkatesh also enjoys watching and playing tennis and basketball. In his free time, he finds pleasure in singing and watching movies and web series.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran