The tourists salvaged a draw against England at Lord's yesterday, to trail only 1-0 with one to play at the Rose Bowl.
Dilshan's first-innings 193 was a vital contribution to their cause, but he was unable to bat second time round after two blows from Chris Tremlett left him with a broken right thumb.
Dilshan himself accepts it is highly unlikely he will recover in time from the hairline fracture to play in Southampton.
His captaincy predecessor Kumar Sangakkara deputised both as opener and leader as Sri Lanka held firm on 127 for three to ensure a stalemate yesterday.
Record-breaking former Sri Lanka spinner Muralitharan acknowledges that Dilshan's combative strokeplay will be a loss to the tourists.
But he pointed out the presence of Sangakkara and fellow former captain Mahela Jayawardene means Sri Lanka do not lack leadership.
"They will miss Dilshan as a batsman, but they also have other experienced captains in the squad - so they can handle that," said Muralitharan, currently playing for Gloucestershire in this summer's FriendsLife t20.
Dilshan yesterday discounted the suggestion that Sri Lanka might be tempted to call up either his limited-overs opening partner Upul Tharanga, or even the great Sanath Jayasuriya from international retirement, to partner Tharanga Paranavitana in his absence.
Today, a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket made it clear that Tharanga - who opened with Dilshan throughout the World Cup - will not even be coming to England for the forthcoming limited-overs leg of the tour, because of an ongoing inquiry into a failed drugs test.
Instead therefore, for the final Test at least, Sri Lanka are likely to give an opportunity to uncapped 21-year-old opener Lahiru Thirimanne.
Muralitharan is not surprised.
"The other players can take a chance," he said.
"It gives another opener an opportunity so they can grab it - that is the way to look at it.
"We have played well. We just had one collapse, which meant they lost first Test, but otherwise they have been doing pretty well.
"Of course, you do miss senior players a bit. But you cannot say that without Dilshan Sri Lanka will lose a match. There will be other players who can replace him."
Sri Lanka's biggest problem so far has appeared to be their bowling, rather than their batting.
Following the retirements of off-spinner Muralitharan and fast bowler Lasith Malinga - the latter should still be available in the shorter formats - they have looked short of the firepower needed to take 20 wickets against a strong batting line-up like England's.
"The bowling is a little bit weak, but I still think they will manage it and they will get the experience when players get their chance," added Muralitharan.
"They are capable bowlers. Definitely they can do the job.
"We are not doing very well but are a very young team, inexperienced - so it will take some time to develop the team and is what the coach wants to do.
"Once that moment comes, we will start winning."
The moment may well come at the end of this month and start of next, when Sri Lanka get the chance to take on England in Twenty20 and then 50-over cricket.
With Tharanga in position alongside Dilshan, they thrashed England by 10 wickets in a World Cup quarter-final in Colombo little more than two months ago.
"Sri Lanka are a better side at the one-dayers and definitely will play well," said Muralitharan.
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