The curtains came down on Dimuth Karunaratne’s remarkable cricketing career as he was dismissed for the last time in Tests, on Saturday, by Matthew Kuhnemann after Australia took a 157-run lead into the second innings in Galle.
The left-hander, who became only the seventh Sri Lankan to don the whites in 100 Test matches, signed-off with scores of 36 and 14 in his final appearance.
At 36, Karunaratne was not the oldest hand in the Sri Lankan dressing room, but he was a man who always put the team before himself. When the latest cycle of the World Test Championship began, he informed the selectors of his intention to step down from the captaincy, arguing that a younger leader should take the reins and inject fresh ideas.
However, the selectors, enamoured by his leadership acumen, urged him to stay. Yet, after just one series in the 2023-25 cycle, he once again reiterated his desire to step aside. Now, at the end of the current cycle, he has called time on his career altogether, paving the way for a new face. That selflessness is a rare trait in modern cricket, where many players cling to their spots with white-knuckled desperation.
In an era where cricketers are often judged as much by their brand value as their batting average, Karunaratne stands apart. Many admire him more for the man he is than the cricketer he became – a rare phenomenon in the subcontinent, where the spotlight can turn even the most mild-mannered individuals into prima donnas.
Across 15 years in international cricket, there has been just one blot on his otherwise unblemished copybook. Shortly after taking over as captain, he was involved in a road accident and charged with drunk driving. But to his credit, he didn’t sweep it under the carpet. He admitted guilt, compensated the affected party, paid a hefty fine, apologised, and moved on. That level of accountability is a breath of fresh air in a game where many prefer to play the waiting game rather than own up to their mistakes.
Karunaratne was never one for dressing room politics. No spats with teammates, no confrontations with selectors, no falling out with coaches, and certainly no pay disputes. He was never one to turn up late for a training session or cut corners in preparation. In every sense, he was a role model for aspiring Sri Lankan cricketers.
With the bat, Karunaratne was an immovable object at the top of the order. He walks away as Sri Lanka’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He is also the nation’s most successful opening batsman – an astonishing feat when you consider there were other accomplished opening batsmen like Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, T.M. Dilshan, and Roshan Mahanama.
His ability to grind out long innings was Sri Lanka’s safety net on many occasions. A classic case was his epic 196 in Dubai under the lights, which snapped Pakistan’s unbeaten streak in the UAE – an innings that underscored his patience, technique, and mental fortitude. He was the anchor around which Sri Lanka’s batting revolved, a player who could weather the storm when wickets tumbled at the other end.
As a captain, Karunaratne may not have possessed the tactical sharpness of Mike Brearley, the magnetic charisma of Imran Khan, the iron-willed leadership of Steve Waugh, or the street-fighting grit of Arjuna Ranatunga. But in his own understated way, he galvanised the team, uniting a fractured dressing room and guiding Sri Lanka to historic heights.
India, for all their batting might, have never won a Test series in South Africa. Pakistan, with their conveyor belt of fast bowlers, have never come close to doing it. Yet, in 2019, an under-resourced Sri Lankan side stunned the Proteas in their own backyard, becoming the first – and still the only – Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa. And at the heart of that triumph was Karunaratne, leading by example in his inimitable style.
When he took over as skipper, Sri Lankan cricket was a house divided. There were deep fissures within the team, and tensions ran high between the selectors and team management. Karunaratne, ever the diplomat, brokered peace and steered the side to unlikely victories against formidable opponents.
His leadership credentials were so widely respected that, ahead of the 2019 World Cup, the selectors handed him the ODI captaincy despite the fact that he hadn’t played a 50-over match in more than four years. He didn’t flinch. He simply went about his job with his usual composure, proving once again that he was a man for the big moments.
Karunaratne bows out with the respect and admiration of an entire cricketing nation. His name may not always dominate headlines, and his style may not be flashy, but his contributions have been immense. Sri Lanka will miss his calming presence at the top of the order, his steady hand in the dressing room, and his unwavering commitment to the team’s cause.
I am planning to do some coaching exams in Australia. That’s my first goal, Level 2 and Level 3 and also like to contribute in some way in cricket. Hopefully, I would like to come and serve Sri Lanka cricket or anywhere else as coach or mentor. Its hard to take one day you have to go from this game, I think this is the right time. Playing 100 tests and then retiring is something special for me, I have done so many things for Sri Lanka cricket so I will be taking happy memories with me. I hope to do my best in this game and get a good 100 in my 100th game and give Sri Lanka a chance to win. My debut was in Galle and I want to finish off in Galle.