New Delhi: Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene, one of his sport's modern greats, is to retire from Test cricket.
37-year-old has informed Sri Lanka Cricket of his decision, and is therefore set to play his last Test later this year.
Jayawardene, who retired from the Twenty20 format along with his fellow Sri Lanka linchpin Kumar Sangakkara after their recent ICC World Twenty20 victory, will continue to play in one-day internationals - with a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand still on his agenda next winter.
A board statement read: 'Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that Mr Mahela Jayawardene has tendered his resignation from Test cricket.
'Addressing a letter to the chief executive officer of SLC Mr Ashley De Silva, Mahela Jayawardene has stated that he would like to retire from Test cricket after the forthcoming Test series' against South Africa and Pakistan.'
Former captain Jayawardene said: '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.'
Jayawardene, whose most recent series was last month's surprise 1-0 win in England, has made 11,493 runs in 145 Tests at an average of above 50.
He is joint sixth, alongside Sangakkara, on the all-time list of record runscorers.
