Angelo Mathews has called time on his Test career when one of Sri Lanka’s modern Test greats brought his 16-year-long red-ball career to a poignant close at the same venue where it all began the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
Ending where he began, Mathews reflected on the symbolism of Galle - “It’s poetic. I made my debut here, played my 100th Test here, and now I say goodbye here. It feels right.”
Mathews finished as the third-most prolific Sri Lanka batter in Tests, behind Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene afetr amassing over 8000 runs in the format.
Mathews, 37, the former Sri Lankan captain confirmed the ongoing series will mark the end of what he called a "dream run" in the longest format - his tally of 119 Tests is also the fourth-highest for Sri Lanka following Jayawardene (149), Sangakkara (134) and Muthiah Muralidaran (132).
The 37-year-old, who debuted in 2009 at this very ground, said he made the decision after assessing both his own recent form and Sri Lanka's future schedule. "My performances in the last 7-8 games weren't what I expected of myself. I didn't want to be a burden to the team," Mathews said. "Also, we don't have any Test games for over a year after this series. It would be unfair for the youngster replacing me to wait that long for another opportunity." Reflecting on his career, Mathews cited several highlights - the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne (2010), the historic Test series win in England in 2014, Sri Lanka's ICC World T20 title in 2014, and back-to-back Asia Cup wins in 2014 and 2016 the triumphing over Australia in Bangladesh.
“It’s been a dream run. The wins in England in 2014 and whitewashing the Aussies in 2016 stand out in Bangladesh. Winning in Bangladesh was special.
“I've seen so many youngsters come through the ranks. I truly believe Sri Lanka's future is in good hands,” said Mathews when he confirmed he would not play in the second Test of the ongoing series, allowing his successor a chance to gain valuable experience.
When asked about his equation with Shakib Al Hasan following the controversial timed-out incident during the 2023 World Cup, Mathews responded with dignity - “It was an unfortunate incident. I hope it never happens again. But I hold no grudges. Everyone's a good friend, and I wish them well,” said the Sri Lankan batting great. Looking ahead, Mathews expressed confidence in the current setup under selectors like Sanath Jayasuriya and the leadership of retired Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis.
