Sri Lanka, May 25 -- He walked out to bat with the nation on his shoulders, time and again. Now, as he walks back into the pavilion one final time in the game's most sacred format, Angelo Mathews leaves behind not just a record book, but a piece of his soul stitched into the whites of Sri Lanka.

In a heartfelt letter that shook the cricketing world, Mathews announced his retirement from Test cricket - the format that shaped his career, tested his grit, and polished his character.

"With a grateful heart and unforgettable memories," he wrote, "it is time for me to say goodbye to the most cherished format of the game - International Test Cricket." And just like that, the curtains slowly begin to fall on one of Sri Lanka's most resilient an...