Sri Lanka Cricket has officially announced the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the men’s national team. The 58-year-old former South African international, widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in modern history, will take over the reins on April 15, 2026, on a two-year contract running until April 2028.
Kirsten replaces Sanath Jayasuriya, who resigned following Sri Lanka’s Super Eight exit in the 2026 T20 World Cup. While Jayasuriya saw historic successes in 2024, including a landmark series win over India, SLC is now pivoting back to a coach with vast international experience to stabilize a side often plagued by a lack of role clarity and consistency.
Kirsten’s appointment comes with a clear mandate: preparing the squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be co-hosted by his native South Africa, along with Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Among Kirsten’s major responsibilities will be guiding the men’s national team in its preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.Sri Lanka Cricket
The board further noted that the "appointment of the new head coach is part of Sri Lanka Cricket's efforts to revamp the structure of the National High Performance Center." Jayasuriya, despite stepping down from the top job, will remain within the system to lead the High Performance Centre.
| Period | Team / Role | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 2008–2011 | India (Head Coach) | 2011 ODI World Cup Champions |
| 2011–2013 | South Africa (Head Coach) | Reached World No. 1 in all three formats |
| 2024 | Pakistan (White-ball Coach) | Resigned after 6 months |
| 2026 | Namibia (Consultant) | 2026 T20 World Cup campaign |
Kirsten is arguably the most high-profile appointment in the history of Sri Lankan cricket. As a player, he was a South African stalwart, amassing over 14,000 international runs and becoming the first from his country to reach 100 Test matches.
His coaching career is even more decorated. He famously orchestrated India’s 28-year wait for a World Cup title in 2011 and transformed the Proteas into a dominant force across all formats in 2013. By hiring Kirsten, SLC hopes to replicate the "winning culture" he established in both nations.
Kirsten joins a prestigious list of non-Sri Lankan coaches who have left a lasting mark on the island nation:
Dav Whatmore: Led the team to the 1996 World Cup title.
Tom Moody & Trevor Bayliss: Guided the team to World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011.
Chris Silverwood: The most recent foreign coach before the pivot to Jayasuriya in late 2024.
The hire comes at a critical juncture. Sri Lanka’s recent World Cup campaign ended prematurely following losses to England and New Zealand in the Super Eight. Kirsten will first be tasked with resolving the "competing philosophies" within the dressing room, particularly among a batting unit that has lacked direction in high-pressure games.
March 2026: Three T20Is against Afghanistan.
September 2026: Three T20Is and three ODIs in England.