SL appoint Gary Kirsten as head coach of men's team
What's the story
Former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten has been named as the head coach of the Sri Lanka national men's cricket team. The two-year contract will come into effect from April 15, 2026. Kirsten takes over from Sanath Jayasuriya, who had been in the role since July 2024 after Chris Silverwood's resignation. Under Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka exited the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, finishing last in their group during the Super Eights.
Coaching accolades
Kirsten's coaching career
Kirsten has had a successful coaching career with India and South Africa. He coached India between 2008 and 2011, leading them to their historic ICC ODI World Cup win. Later, he served as South Africa's coach from 2011 to 2013, during which they became the top-ranked side across formats in 2013. Kirsten, who also coached the Pakistan side in 2024, was with Namibia during the recently concluded T20 World Cup as a consultant.
Player profile
Kirsten's playing career and upcoming challenges
Before venturing into coaching, Kirsten had a stellar playing career for South Africa from 1993 to 2004. He scored over 14,000 international runs, which included 21 Test centuries and 13 ODI hundreds. Sri Lanka will certainly gain from his experience ahead of the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, set to be co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.