New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has officially announced he will step down from the white ball format. Stead revealed that he will take the next few weeks to decide whether he wants to reapply for the role of Test Coach. The Black Caps will appoint a new coach for the team in a limited over format.
Gary Stead became New Zealand head coach in 2018 following the resignation of Mike Hesson. His contract was extended twice in 2020 and 2023 and is expected to expire in June. Stead led New Zealand to victory at the first World Test Championship (WTC) and oversees the 3-0 Test Series Clean Sweep in India.
I want to evaluate my options now – GaryStead
Gary Stead said he wanted to spend more time at home and take a break from the trip. During his tenure, the team reached the finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy 2025.
“I look forward to getting away from tour life for a while and having them think about my future,” Stead said.
“The past six or seven months have been particularly busy with relatively non-stop cricket action since September. I want to assess my options now, but despite not being a head coach of any form, I still feel that coaching remains.”
Next month will give me the opportunity – Gary Stead
The 53-year-old said it would take time to decide whether he wants to continue as a New Zealand Test coach. State said it will help him make that decision to have conversations with his wife, family and close contacts.
“Next month will give me the opportunity to discuss the situation more with my wife, family and others. After this reflection, I will be in a better position to know if I want to reapply it in my test coaching position,” Stead says.
Stead has been sharing coaching responsibilities across formats in recent years. Assistant coach Luke Ronch led several Whiteball series and was able to take occasional breaks from his demanding international schedule.
Gary’s results were very impressive – Brian Stronach
Brian Stronach, Chief Performance Officer of New Zealand Cricket, said Gary Stead had the right to spend time before deciding on his future. He noted that the list of applicants is known, and they will get a clearer direction.
“Gary’s results have been very impressive for a long time, and we give him time to gather his thoughts and reflect on things.
“At this point, I don’t really like either the split coaching role or the only appointment that covers all three formats. I’m unlikely to make that clear until I see who’s putting their names forward.”
Before becoming head coach of the men’s team, Stead led the women’s team to the 2009 Women’s ODI World Cup final, where he lost to England. New Zealand cricket is set to begin advertising for coaching roles.
Also Read: Watch: Zaheer Khan openly claims stakes for the role of Indian coaches during IPL 2025