- Born
- 23 Nov 1967, Cape Town
- Age
- 58 years
- Role
- Opening batsman
- Batting
- Left-handed
- Bowling
- Right-arm off break
Gary Kirsten (born 23 November 1967) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer who played as a left-handed batter. He has served as the head coach of Sri Lanka since 2026.
Kirsten played 101 Test and 185 One Day International (ODI) matches for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batter. As of June 2026, he is South Africa's fifth-highest all time run-scorer in Tests. He was a member of the South Africa team that won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy. In domestic cricket, Kirsten represented Western Province between 1987 and 2004.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: Sumeet Moghe · CC BY 2.0.
Gary Kirsten: career summary
Gary Kirsten is an opening batsman from South Africa, born on 23 Nov 1967 in Cape Town. Gary Kirsten has played 15 matches on CricInto's records, from 26 Dec 2002 to 26 Mar 2004, for South Africa.
In Tests (9 matches, 2002–2004): 779 runs in 16 innings at an average of 51.93 and a strike rate of 46.48, with 2 hundreds and 6 fifties (highest score 130). Only matches from 2001 on have ball-by-ball records, so the full career total is higher.
In ODIs (6 matches, 2003): 186 runs in 6 innings at an average of 62.00 and a strike rate of 85.71, with 0 hundreds and 3 fifties (highest score 69). Only matches from 2002 on have ball-by-ball records, so the full career total is higher.
Batting
| Competition | M | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | 0s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 9 | 16 | 1 | 779 | 130 | 51.93 | 1676 | 46.48 | 2 | 6 | 105 | 2 | 0 |
| ODI | 6 | 6 | 3 | 186 | 69 | 62.00 | 217 | 85.71 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 2 | 1 |
Recent matches
| Date | Match | Bat | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2004 | SA vs NZ Test | 1 (4) & 76 (180) | - |
| 18 Mar 2004 | SA vs NZ Test | 1 (8) & 1 (3) | - |
| 24 Oct 2003 | SA vs PAK Test | 54 (115) & 118 (232) | - |
| 17 Oct 2003 | SA vs PAK Test | 53* (100) & 46 (93) | - |
| 4 Sept 2003 | SA vs ENG Test | 90 (156) & 29 (59) | - |
| 21 Aug 2003 | SA vs ENG Test | 130 (323) & 60 (147) | - |
| 24 Jul 2003 | SA vs ENG Test | 44 (95) & 1 (10) | - |
| 3 Mar 2003 | SA vs SL ODI | 8 (21) | - |
| 27 Feb 2003 | SA vs CAN ODI | 0 (5) | - |
| 22 Feb 2003 | SA vs BAN ODI | 52* (32) | - |
Frequently asked questions
How many runs has Gary Kirsten scored in Tests?
Gary Kirsten has scored 779 runs in Tests, at an average of 51.93. Only matches from 2001 on have ball-by-ball records, so the full career total is higher.
How many runs has Gary Kirsten scored in ODIs?
Gary Kirsten has scored 186 runs in ODIs, at an average of 62.00. Only matches from 2002 on have ball-by-ball records, so the full career total is higher.
How many hundreds has Gary Kirsten scored?
Gary Kirsten has scored 2 hundreds in Tests. Matches before ball-by-ball records began are not counted.
What is Gary Kirsten's highest score?
Gary Kirsten's highest score is 130, in Tests.
How old is Gary Kirsten?
Gary Kirsten was born on 23 Nov 1967 in Cape Town, and is 58 years old.
Which teams has Gary Kirsten played for?
South Africa (2002–2004).