Gary Kirsten Appointed Sri Lanka Men’s Team Head Coach

Former India World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten has been appointed as the new head coach of the Sri Lanka men’s cricket team, commencing on April 15, 2026. He has signed a two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), with a primary focus on guiding the team’s preparation and campaign for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia .

Coaching Career and Experience

Kirsten, 58, brings a wealth of international coaching experience to the role. He notably coached India from 2008 to 2011, leading them to victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup . He also successfully managed South Africa from 2011 to 2013, during which the Proteas achieved the No. 1 ranking in all formats of the game . More recently, Kirsten served as a consultant for Cricket Namibia during the T20 World Cup .

Prior to his appointment with Sri Lanka, Kirsten had a brief stint with the Pakistan limited-overs sides, but resigned from the role in October 2024, only six months into a two-year contract .

Playing Career

Kirsten enjoyed a successful playing career as a South African cricketer, representing his country in 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals between 1993 and 2004. He accumulated 14,087 runs during his international career, including 21 centuries in Test cricket and 13 in ODIs .

Sri Lanka Cricket’s Objectives

Sri Lanka Cricket stated that Kirsten’s appointment is part of a broader effort to revamp the structure of the National High Performance Center and strengthen the national side in preparation for major global events . The move follows Sanath Jayasuriya’s decision to step down as Sri Lanka’s head coach after the team’s performance in the T20 World Cup .

Sri Lanka is scheduled to face Afghanistan in three T20Is this month and will also play three T20Is and three ODIs in England in September.