Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed he will step down after this summer's tour of Australia.

The skipper was re-appointed for a 12-month period in January, replacing Tillakaratne Dilshan for a second stint in the top job.

He waited until the end of his media conference on the eve of the first Test against Australia to announce he won't be seeking another stint in the job.

"It's been brilliant," he told reporters at Bellerive.

"I've enjoyed the last year, what I've achieved.

"We need to move on to a younger leader."

Jayawardene has endorsed 25-year-old vice-captain Angelo Mathews as his successor.

"It's much easier for Sri Lankan cricket if we get a new guy in while the senior players are still around so that we can help him out," Jayawardene said.

"Angelo's the one everyone's earmarked and I think he's good enough."

The 35-year-old Jayawardene will play on after his last match as captain, the Twenty20 game against Australia on January 28 at the MCG.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have named their XI for the Test beginning on Friday that includes aggressive one-Test opener Dimuth Karunaratne and left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara.

 

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedera, Shaminda Eranga, Rangana Herath.

- AAP