Colombo: Sanath Jayasuriya on Friday night announced his retirement from Test cricket in a bid to prolong his One-Day career.
Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka's highest run-scorer and the star of his country's 1996 World Cup triumph, said he would make his final Test appearence in the second match against Pakistan starting in Kandy on Monday.
The second Test against Pakistan in Kandy next week would be his last.
A veteran of 101 Tests and the the most prolific batsman for Sri Lanka in both forms of the game, Jayasuriya handed his letter of retirement to Duleep Mendis, Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket.
"I thought about it long and hard and decided that's it. It's a very emotional moment, but I guess every good thing has to come to an end," he said.
"There are a lot of younger players coming through. I thought about it long and hard and decided that's it."
However, Jayasuriya, who has been beset with injuries in the recent past, said he would be available for selection for next year's World Cup in the West Indies.
Jayasuriya aggregated 6,599 runs in Test cricket with 14 hundreds at an average of 41.76. His left-arm spin has fetched him 92 wickets in the longer form of the game.
Jayasuriya made his Test debut in 1991 against New Zealand in Hamilton. He replaced Arjuna Ranatunga as skipper in 1999 and quit captaincy in 2003.
The Marauder from Matara achieved stardom when he pioneered the ultra-aggressive batting style to take advantage of the fielding restrictions in the One-Dayers.
His daredevil batting at the 1996 World Cup hosted jointly by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka gave the islanders the title of World champions, earning him the Player of the Tournament honour in the process.
But injuries have kept the all-rounder out of the side on a few occasions in the past six months.
After missing the three-match ODI series against Pakistan with a thigh strain he just managed six and 13 runs in the drawn first Test in Colombo.
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