Kuruppu was called up for the Pakistan tour in October and was expected to fulfil one more assignment before the appointment of a full-time manager, Sri Lanka Cricket revealed on Thursday.
The organisation is hoping to find a manager in January to fill the post for a two-year term that would probably include the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.
The 42-year-old Kuruppu played four Tests for Sri Lanka between 1988 and 1991 and holds the record for slowest double hundred in Test history, a gruelling 777-minute innings on debut.
Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand starts with a warm-up game against Central Districts on December 21 and includes five one-day internationals and two Test matches.
