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Gary Kirsten Appointed Sri Lanka Head Coach, Eyes 2027 World Cup Glory

Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the national men's team, effective from April 15. Kirsten, who has a distinguished coaching record, guided India to victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and led South Africa to the number one ranking in all formats. His appointment is part of SLC's efforts to revamp its high-performance structure. Kirsten's primary focus will be preparing the team for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Key Points: Gary Kirsten Named Sri Lanka Men's Cricket Head Coach

  • Two-year term until April 2028
  • Guided India to 2011 World Cup win
  • Made South Africa No.1 in 2013
  • Scored over 14,000 int'l runs
  • Primary goal is 2027 World Cup
2 min read

SLC appoint Gary Kirsten as head coach of men's cricket team

Former South Africa batter Gary Kirsten appointed Sri Lanka head coach. He led India to 2011 World Cup win and aims for 2027 success.

"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 - SLC"

Colombo, March 9

Sri Lanka Cricket on Monday announced the appointment of former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the national men's team, effective from April 15.

Kirsten, who enjoyed a distinguished international career representing South Africa, served as the head coach of the India men's national team from 2008 to 2011 and the head coach of the South Africa men's national team from 2011 to 2013.

"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," SLC said in a statement.

During his tenures with the respective teams, he guided both teams to achieve significant heights in international cricket, including India winning the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2011 and South Africa becoming the number 1 ranked team in all formats of the game during the year 2013.

Kirsten's most recent engagement was with Cricket Namibia during the concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 as a 'consultant.'

During his playing career, which spanned from 1993 to 2004, Kirsten scored a total of 14,087 runs across Test and One Day International (ODI) formats, including 21 Test centuries and 13 ODI centuries.

His appointment with Sri Lanka Cricket will be for a two-year term ending on April 14, 2028.

Among Kirsten's primary responsibilities will be guiding the Sri Lanka National Men's Team in its preparation and campaign for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Interesting move. He has a proven track record, no doubt. But coaching India or SA with their resources is different from coaching Sri Lanka, which has been going through internal turmoil in its cricket board. The challenge is huge. Hope he gets the full support from SLC.
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Rohit P
SL has some fantastic raw talent - players like Mathews, Pathirana, Nissanka. If Kirsten can bring the same process-driven approach he used with Team India, they can be a dark horse for the 2027 World Cup. The subcontinent bond is strong! 💪
S
Sarah B
His last major coaching role was over a decade ago. Cricket has changed so much since then, especially with the rise of franchise leagues and data analytics. I hope he's kept up with the modern game. This feels a bit like a safe, nostalgic choice by SLC.
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Vikram M
Good luck to him! Sri Lankan cricket needs stability. From an Indian perspective, it's always good to see a coach who understands subcontinental cricket culture. Hope this leads to more competitive matches in the Asia Cup and when they tour India next!
K
Karthik V
His primary KRA is the 2027 WC in Africa. He knows those conditions well, being a South African. Smart planning by SLC. If he can unlock the potential of their fast bowlers in those conditions, SL could be very dangerous. Exciting times for cricket fans.

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