Sri Lanka Cricket has announced the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the men’s national team. The former South Africa batter will begin his role on April 15 on a two-year contract that runs until April 14, 2028.
Kirsten joins Sri Lanka at a time when the team is searching for stability and consistent performances in international cricket. His appointment is considered one of the biggest coaching hires in Sri Lanka’s cricket history.
The experienced coach guided India to victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and also helped South Africa reach the top of the ICC Test rankings during his tenure. Most recently, he worked as a consultant for Namibia during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Kirsten enjoyed a successful playing career with South Africa, scoring more than 14,000 international runs and becoming the first South African cricketer to play 100 Test matches.
Sri Lanka Cricket hopes Kirsten will follow the path of successful foreign coaches who previously shaped the team’s achievements. Dav Whatmore led Sri Lanka to their famous 1996 World Cup triumph, while Tom Moody and Trevor Bayliss guided the team to the World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011 respectively. Chris Silverwood served as the last foreign head coach before Sanath Jayasuriya took charge.
The appointment comes after Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where the team exited in the Super Eight stage following defeats to England and New Zealand.
Jayasuriya stepped down as head coach after the tournament and will now lead Sri Lanka’s High Performance Centre. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka achieved notable success at home in 2024, including a historic ODI series win against India after 27 years.
Sri Lanka Cricket said the decision to appoint Kirsten forms part of its plan to revamp the structure of the National High Performance Centre. The new coach will focus on creating a clear strategy for the team and building a stronger winning culture.
With the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup scheduled to take place in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, Kirsten’s knowledge of local conditions could also prove valuable for Sri Lanka in the coming years.
