Former India World Cup-winning Coach Takes Over Sri Lanka Men’s Team

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Former South African coach who guided Team India to ODI victory in 2011, Gary Kirsten has been named the new head coach of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that Kirsten will officially assume the role from April 15, 2026.

The former South African opener has signed a two-year contract, replacing Sanath Jayasuriya, who stepped down following Sri Lanka's Super Eight exit in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. During the same tournament, Kirsten served as a consultant for the Namibia national cricket team.

Kirsten, who played 101 Tests and 185 ODIs for the South Africa national cricket team, brings vast coaching experience.

Gary Kirsten's Past Exploits In Coaching

He famously guided the India national cricket team to victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup and also helped India reach the No. 1 position in the ICC Test rankings during his tenure as head coach. After that, he coached the South African men's team for two years and later became the white-ball coach of the Pakistan national cricket team in April 2024, though he stepped down early due to differences with the board and players.

Apart from international coaching roles, Kirsten has also been involved in the Indian Premier League with teams such as Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, serving as batting coach when the Titans won the title in their debut season in 2022.

A key focus during his tenure will be preparing Sri Lanka for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The team will aim to secure direct qualification for the tournament.

Kirsten's appointment follows SLC's recent decision to name Jamie Siddons as the head coach of the Sri Lanka women's national team earlier this week.