COLOMBO // Tillakaratne Dilshan resigned Monday as Sri Lanka's cricket captain in all three forms of the game following the team's disappointing tour of South Africa, officials said.
Dilshan, 35, took up the captaincy on a series-to-series basis after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following Sri Lanka's defeat in the 2011 World Cup final against India.
The side lost both the Test and one-day series in South Africa, though they recovered a measure of pride with victory in the final two limited-overs games, the last on Sunday.
"Dilshan has resigned as captain in all three formats of the game," Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said, without naming a successor.
Under Dilshan, Sri Lanka lost Test and one-day series against England, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa.
"Members of the executive committee take this opportunity to thank Dilshan for his commitment and dedication during his tenure as the national captain," the board said.
"We also wish him well as he continues to represent Sri Lanka as a national player."
While Dilshan's own batting form suffered during his reign, he led the team to a historic Test win in Durban this year - Sri Lanka's first on South African soil.
There was no immediate comment from Dilshan, who has so far scored 4,662 runs in 77 Tests and 5,896 runs in 224 one-day internationals.
Local media have speculated that former captain Mahela Jayawardene could be Dilshan's replacement.
His replacement is part of an ongoing shake-up after the national team's recent poor run abroad against South Africa and Pakistan.
"We are changing things at the top to try and change things around," Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told AFP.
The minister last week named a four-member selection panel headed by Asantha de Mel, a former national player, and gave them one year to put the team in order.
Australian coach Geoff Marsh and team manager Anura Tennakoon are also predicted to be replaced, local media reported over the weekend. Marsh was appointed in September 2011 for two years.
Former South Africa coach Graham Ford is due in the island on Tuesday to replace Marsh, the state-run Daily News said Monday.
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