Sri Lanka Cricket Has Appointed Gary Kirsten as The New Head Coach of The Men’s National Team
Gary Kirsten becomes Sri Lanka head coach until 2028, with focus on rebuilding the team ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Sri Lanka have appointed Gary Kirsten as the head coach of the men’s team on a two-year deal starting April 15, 2026. The former South Africa opener will stay in the role until April 14, 2028 as the board looks to rebuild its white-ball sides.
Kirsten is one of the most respected coaches in international cricket. He guided India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title during his tenure from 2008 to 2011. After that, he coached South Africa from 2011 to 2013 and helped them reach the No. 1 ranking in all formats.
Most recently, Kirsten worked as a consultant with Cricket Namibia during the 2026 T20 World Cup. His wide coaching experience across international teams and leagues made him a strong candidate for the Sri Lanka role.
As a player, Kirsten had a long and successful career with South Africa between 1993 and 2004. He scored 14,087 runs in international cricket and finished with 21 Test centuries and 13 hundreds in ODIs.
One of his biggest tasks will be preparing Sri Lanka for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The tournament will be played in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka want to peak at the right time under their new coach.
Kirsten replaces former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who stepped down after a difficult run in T20 cricket. Sri Lanka suffered four straight home losses in the 2026 T20 World Cup and also struggled in the 2025 Asia Cup and the Pakistan tri-series.
However, Jayasuriya’s time in charge was not without bright moments. Sri Lanka beat India in an ODI series in 2024, their first such win in 27 years. They also won a Test at The Oval and completed a 2-0 home Test series victory over New Zealand.
Sri Lanka Cricket hopes Kirsten’s calm approach and proven record can help the team regain consistency. The focus will be on building a strong white-ball unit while continuing to compete well in Test cricket.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, Kirsten’s experience in guiding teams through major tournaments could play a key role in Sri Lanka’s next phase.
