Sri Lanka Cricket has announced the appointment of former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the Sri Lanka national men’s team, effective from 15 April 2026. His appointment comes in the wake of Sanath Jayasuriya’s resignation following Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Jayasuriya stepped down after the team endured a disastrous tournament, which prompted Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to reassess the structure and direction of the national setup. The board moved swiftly to secure the services of Kirsten, one of the most respected figures in international cricket coaching, as part of a broader effort to rebuild and strengthen the national program.
Kirsten brings with him a wealth of experience both as a player and as a coach. During his international playing career for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, he established himself as one of the most reliable opening batters in world cricket. Across Test and One Day International formats, he scored a combined total of 14,087 runs, including 21 Test centuries and 13 ODI centuries.
However, it is his coaching credentials that have earned him global recognition. Kirsten served as head coach of the Indian national team from 2008 to 2011, a period widely regarded as one of India’s most successful eras in modern cricket. Under his leadership, India captured the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2011, defeating Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai to lift the trophy in front of a packed home crowd.
Following his successful stint with India, Kirsten took over as head coach of the South African national team from 2011 to 2013. During that period, South Africa rose to the number one ranking in all three formats of international cricket, a testament to his ability to develop balanced, high-performing teams.
More recently, Kirsten worked as a consultant with Cricket Namibia during the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, further expanding his experience within the global cricket landscape.
Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that Kirsten’s appointment will run for a two-year term, concluding on 14 April 2028. One of his primary responsibilities will be preparing and guiding Sri Lanka’s campaign for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
The appointment is also part of a wider initiative by Sri Lanka Cricket to revamp the structure of its National High Performance Center and rebuild the national team’s competitiveness on the international stage. With Kirsten’s proven track record in transforming teams and nurturing talent, SLC hopes his leadership will usher in a new era for Sri Lankan cricket.
