# Gary Kirsten backs Gautam Gambhir as Sri Lanka gear up for India Tests 2026-08-13T15:52:30+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten has endorsed under-fire India coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the two-match Test series beginning Saturday at Galle. The Times of India reports Kirsten cited Gambhir's record: a T20 World Cup win in 2026, an ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, and an IPL title as mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. 'His record speaks for itself. He's a fantastic coach,' Kirsten said during a virtual interaction on Thursday. Kirsten, who coached India from 2008 to 2011 and led them to the 2011 World Cup, declined to confirm whether Sri Lanka would target India's perceived vulnerability against spin. 'We would like to bring all our skills into the game, not just spin,' he said. The South African also backed left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya but stressed Sri Lanka's bowling strategy would not revolve around one player. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: Galle, Gary Kirsten, Gautam Gambhir, India vs Sri Lanka, Test cricket Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kirsten-draws-on-india-tenure-to-plot-sri-lanka-test-win/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kirsten-draws-on-india-tenure-to-plot-sri-lanka-test-win/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.