Gary Stead will continue as the head coach of the New Zealand cricket team until mid-2025, according to an announcement by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Stead, who was initially appointed for a two-year term in 2018, had his contract extended in 2020 until the end of the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in India. Now, he will stay on until the conclusion of the current World Test Championship cycle in June 2025.
The decision to retain Stead came after a comprehensive consultation process, during which he received unanimous support from various stakeholders, including players, support staff, and coaching associations. NZC's GM High Performance Bryan Stronach stated that the case for keeping Stead was compelling, citing his impressive results and the overwhelming positive feedback from the cricket community.
Stronach also revealed that a split-coaching model was considered but ultimately rejected. The current team culture and the majority of Black Caps players participating in all three formats led to the decision to maintain the status quo. However, NZC will continue to introduce fresh voices and new ideas through the "fourth coach" concept. This concept involves bringing in coaches with specialist skills or knowledge of specific environments or formats to support the Black Caps touring squads. Recent examples include Stephen Fleming, Shane Bond, Saqlain Mushtaq, Luke Wright, and Thilan Samaraweera.
Stead's extended tenure will include major tournaments such as the ICC T20 World Cup in June/July 2024, the ICC ODI Champions Trophy in February/March 2025, and potentially the ICC World Test Championship Final in June 2025.
NZC CEO David White expressed his satisfaction with the thorough process that led to Stead's reappointment, noting that all options were carefully considered. White commended Stead's qualities as a person and his effectiveness as a coach, and he extended well wishes on behalf of all Kiwi cricket fans.
Black Caps Test captain Tim Southee expressed the players' delight with Stead's retention. Southee highlighted Stead's success in leading the team to finals across all three formats, including their recent triumph in the World Test Championship. Southee emphasized the importance of Stead's role in managing people and workloads, considering the demanding nature of modern cricket and the challenges faced by players and support staff.
With Stead at the helm, New Zealand cricket looks forward to building on their recent achievements and continuing their success on the international stage.