Sri Lanka Appoint Gary Kirsten As Head Coach Ahead Of Cricket World Cup 2027; South African Replaces Sanath Jayasuriya

Former India World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten was Monday appointed head coach of the Sri Lanka cricket team on a two-year contract starting April 15.

Kirsten, a former South Africa opener who later built a successful reputation as a coach, will remain in the role until April 14, 2028 and will primarily oversee Sri Lanka’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Confirming the appointment in a media release, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the move is part of its broader effort to revamp the structure of the National High-Performance Center and strengthen the national side ahead of major global events.

Kirsten brings with him a wealth of international coaching experience, having previously guided India to the 2011 World Cup triumph during his tenure from 2008 to 2011.

Following his successful stint with India, the 58-year-old also served as head coach of South Africa between 2011 and 2013, a period during which the Proteas rose to become the No.1-ranked team across all three formats.

Kirsten was most recently associated with Cricket Namibia, serving as a consultant during the recently concluded T20 World Cup.

"Kirsten’s primary responsibilities will include guiding the Sri Lanka National Men’s Team in its preparation and campaign for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027," SLC said in a release.

During his playing career from 1993 to 2004, Kirsten was one of South Africa’s most prolific batters, amassing 14,087 runs across Tests and One-Day Internationals, including 21 centuries in Tests and 13 in ODIs.

Sri Lanka have endured a mixed run in international cricket in recent years, frequently rebuilding their squad after the retirements of several senior players. As co-hosts, they failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup semifinals.

Gary Kirsten Coming Out Of Disappointing Coaching Stint For Pakistan

Gary Kirsten’s tenure as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach was a brief and turbulent chapter that lasted just six months, concluding in October 2024. Appointed with high expectations to lead a structural revival, Kirsten’s stint was marred by a lack of administrative stability and a high-profile "power rift" with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The primary point of contention was the board's decision to strip the coaching staff of their selection powers, a move that Kirsten later claimed made it "nearly impossible" to have a positive influence on the team’s direction.

His term saw Pakistan suffer a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup 2024 including a historic loss to the USA, and he eventually resigned just days before a major tour of Australia, citing a misalignment between his coaching philosophy and the PCB's operational style.

Former Sri Lanka Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya Stepped Down After Poor T20 World Cup Campaign

Sanath Jayasuriya decided to step down as Sri Lanka's head coach in the wake of his team's abysmal performance in the T20 World Cup.

Co-hosts Sri Lanka lost all their games in the Super 8s stage. In the preliminary stage they were beaten by Zimbabwe and recorded wins against Australia and the lowly Oman and Ireland.

"My contract ends in June but I will go before that, I will be talking to Sri Lanka Cricket to decide my stepping down," Jayasuriya told reporters after Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan.

"We should have done better, I am sorry and I apologize to fans," Jayasuriya, the player-of-the-tournament when Sri Lanka won the 1996 ODI World Cup, said.

Over the one-and-a-half years of his services Sri Lanka improved their rankings across formats, Jayasuriya said.

(With PTI Inputs)