Gary Stead Resigns from NZ White Ball Coaching, Contemplates Test Future
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Synopsis
Gary Stead, head coach of New Zealand, has announced his resignation from white ball coaching and will contemplate whether to reapply for the Test coach position. NZC is supportive of his decision to take time before making a choice on his future in coaching.
Key Takeaways
- Gary Stead steps down from white ball formats.
- He is considering reapplying for Test coach.
- Achieved significant milestones, including the World Test Championship title.
- NZC supports his decision to take time for reflection.
- Recruitment for the coaching position will begin soon.
Auckland, April 8 (NationPress) Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand, has declared his intention to step back from the white ball formats. He will take a few weeks to decide whether he wants to reapply for the role of Test coach.
As New Zealand's most accomplished coach, Stead took on the role in 2018 after Mike Hesson stepped down. His contract has been renewed twice: in 2020 and 2023, with the current term set to conclude in June.
While he is still weighing his options regarding the Test position, Stead, who led New Zealand to victory in the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 and achieved an exceptional 3-nil series victory against India last year, has officially indicated his desire to resign from the ODI and T20I coaching roles, as stated by New Zealand Cricket.
Under his leadership in white-ball cricket, the team reached the final of the recent Champions Trophy held in Pakistan and the UAE, as well as the finals of the Cricket World Cup in 2019 and the T20 World Cup in 2021.
“I look forward to stepping away from the touring lifestyle for a while to reflect on my future. My priority has been to close out the season strongly with a less experienced team,” Stead expressed.
“The last six to seven months have been particularly hectic with nearly continuous cricket since September. I want to consider my options, but I still feel that I have coaching left in me, though not as Head Coach across all formats.”
“The upcoming month will allow me to discuss my situation further with my wife, family, and others. After this period of contemplation, I will be in a better position to determine whether I want to reapply for the Test coaching role,” Stead shared, as quoted by NZC.
NZC Chief High-Performance Officer Bryan Stronach commented that Stead deserves the time to contemplate his decision.
“Gary’s achievements have been remarkable over an extended period, and we are completely comfortable granting him some time to reflect,” Stronach stated.
“Currently, we have no strong preference for a coaching split or a single coach to cover all formats, and we won’t have clarity on this until we see the candidates who come forward,” he added.
NZC announced that the recruitment process for the coaching position, whether full or part-time, will start “within the next week or so.”
