Gautam Gambhir and Gary Kirsten share a history that goes back years. Now they’re on opposite sides, coaching India and Sri Lanka but the respect is still there—especially considering Kirsten’s earlier time with Team India.
Back then, Kirsten was India’s coach and under him, they won the 2011 World Cup. Gambhir has always credited Kirsten for shaping his growth as a player. So it felt natural to see them catching up on the sidelines of the Galle Test which India won by 165 runs on Wednesday.
When they talked, you could see both of them smiling. Later that day, Kirsten shared a bit about their conversation. He said they chatted about life as coaches and the hurdles they both face now.
They also talked about what makes Test cricket special and how they want their teams to approach the format.
‘We didn’t really reminisce. We spoke about coaching, about the everyday challenges, and also about Test cricket’s values. Both of us care deeply about how Test cricket is played. So we discussed how we can help our players perform to their potential, for both India and Sri Lanka,’ Kirsten told reporters after the match.
He added, ‘Turns out, we see the game in similar ways and want to build our teams around that. We had a good chat.’
Gambhir stepped in as India’s head coach in July 2024, while Kirsten was named Sri Lanka’s coach earlier in the year taking over from Sanath Jayasuriya.
Earlier in the series, before the matches began, Kirsten had openly backed Gambhir when questions were being raised about India’s Test performances. He called Gambhir an excellent coach and pointed to his record.
‘He’s won a T20 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy. He’s been successful in the IPL too. His record speaks for itself. I really enjoyed working with him when he was a player,’ Kirsten said at the time.
‘He’s a smart cricketer. I knew he’d find success as a coach.’
After India’s Test loss against South Africa last year, Gambhir came under a lot of pressure. The team needs to win six out of their next eight matches to have a shot at reaching the WTC final.
But India’s win in Galle comes at a good time. They controlled the Test from start to finish and now lead the series 1-0. The second Test starts August 23 in Colombo.