Gautam Gambhir has been facing criticism after India’s recent struggles in Test cricket. But ahead of the Sri Lanka series he has received backing from Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten.
Gary Kirsten called Gambhir a fantastic coach and said his record speaks for itself.
He pointed to Gambhir’s success with India, including the 2026 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy, along with his IPL success with Kolkata Knight Riders.
Gary Kirsten knows Gambhir well. He was India’s head coach from 2008 to 2011, when Gambhir was one of the team’s key players.
Gary Kirsten said Gambhir is a smart cricketer and that he always believed his former player would succeed as a coach.
India have recently struggled against quality spin, but Kirsten refused to reveal whether Sri Lanka would specifically target that weakness.
Sri Lanka have identified areas they can exploit but will focus on executing their own skills.
Prabath Jayasuriya remains a major threat in Galle, having taken 125 Test wickets, including 81 at the venue. Despite Kirsten said Sri Lanka will not depend on one bowler.
