Sri Lanka Cricket has announced the appointment of former South African international Gary Kirsten as the head coach for its men’s national team. His term is slated to commence on April 15, 2026, and will run for two years. Kirsten possesses a wealth of international coaching expertise, previously leading the Indian national side from 2008 to 2011 and subsequently the South African team from 2011 to 2013.
Kirsten’s coaching career highlights include steering India to their momentous victory in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2011. He also led South Africa to attain the coveted No. 1 ranking across all three formats of international cricket in 2013. Most recently, Kirsten contributed as a consultant for Cricket Namibia during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, assisting in their tournament preparations.
Prior to his coaching exploits, Kirsten had a distinguished playing career for South Africa from 1993 to 2004. A reliable opening batter, he amassed 14,087 runs in Tests and One-Day Internationals, featuring 21 Test centuries and 13 ODI centuries, establishing himself as a formidable presence at the crease.
Kirsten’s agreement with Sri Lanka Cricket spans two years, concluding on April 14, 2028. A key mandate for him will be to ready the national squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, aiming to build a competitive and successful team.
This appointment follows the resignation of former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya from his coaching position, prompted by a challenging performance in the recent T20 World Cup. Jayasuriya, who assumed the head coach role shortly after the 2024 T20 World Cup, initially enjoyed a promising spell. His tenure saw Sri Lanka achieve a landmark ODI bilateral series victory against India in August 2024, their first in 27 years. The team also recorded a notable Test win at The Oval and secured a 2-0 home Test series triumph over New Zealand.
However, the latter part of Jayasuriya’s leadership was marred by difficulties in the T20 format. Sri Lanka faced four consecutive losses during their home T20 World Cup 2026, resulting in an early departure. Furthermore, the team delivered lackluster performances in the 2025 Asia Cup and a T20I tri-series held in Pakistan, indicating a need for a strategic overhaul.
