New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has extended Gary Stead's tenure as a coach for two more years as he will stay on the role until mid-2025. New Zealand men's cricket team's high performance manager Bryan Stronach revealed that Stead made a compelling case of retention given his results since his appointment.
Stead came into the role in 2018 and has notably steered the Black Caps to a T20 World Cup and 50-over World Cup final. However, his most significant achievement will be propelling Kane Williamson and co. to the World Test Championship victory in the decider in 2021 by beating India in Southampton.
Stronach believes the 51-year-old still has a lot to offer to the team and said, as quoted by nzc.nz:
"The support for Gary was overwhelmingly positive – from the players, the BLACKCAPS support staff, Major Association coaches and support staff, as well as the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and NZC High Performance Unit staff. Gary’s results have been very impressive and we’re confident that he still has a lot to offer the team. Of course, a big part of this decision came down to whether Gary wanted to continue and he made it clear his appetite to take this team forward was as keen as ever."
New Zealand Test captain elated by Gary Stead's reappointment:
Meanwhile, Black Caps Test skipper Tim Southee said Stead has done a sensational job across formats and added:
"Gary’s had great success leading us into finals in all three formats and, of course, that World Test Championship win. It’s been great the way that he’s come in and built on what was previously achieved. The sheer amount of time players and support staff spend away from family and loved ones makes for a challenging environment."
With Kane Williamson racing against time due to his knee injury, New Zealand might struggle to go the distance in the 2023 World Cup.
