Gary Stead’s pondering puts added pressure on NZ Cricket in head coach search
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
ANALYSIS: Without making a definitive decision on his future, Gary Stead has already put the onus back on New Zealand Cricket.
For the next month, the brains trust at NZC has to begin the process of seeking a new head coach for its white-ball teams - without knowing for certain whether that person could also be in charge of the test side.
On Tuesday, the long-time Black Caps head coach announced that he was stepping down from overseeing the ODI and T20I roles, with his contract expiring in June.
However, the 53-year-old - who has been the national men’s coach since mid-2018 - said he was still considering whether to seek to stay in charge of the test team.
That immediately resulted in NZC having to heavily consider the prospect of employing two separate Black Caps coaches for the first time.
Advertising for the position, both in full and/or in part, will start shortly, and NZC Chief High Performance Officer Bryan Stronach said: ”“At the moment we haven’t any strong preference for either a split-coaching role or a sole appointment who covers all three formats, and we’re unlikely to be clearer on that until we see who’s putting their name forward.”
The organisation won’t be unprepared for the scenario - it was thought that Stead may be keen on a ‘job-share’ position, with the split-coaching option being considered but ultimately rejected when NZC gave the incumbent a two-year contract extension in 2023.
But the recent surprise resignation of New Zealand-based Rob Walter as the white-ball coach of South Africa has unexpectedly offered NZC a potentially simple solution, should Stead decide he still wants the test job.
Walter took over as South Africa's ODI and T20I coach in 2023, and guided them to the T20 World Cup final last year, and into the semifinals of the recent Champions Trophy in Pakistan, where they were beaten by the Black Caps.
Whether it was Stead’s intention, he’s now effectively given NZC a month to ponder the benefits of a Stead/Walter combo deal.
Should Stead then decide he’s had enough of the rigours of international cricket, NZC may be close to being pot-committed with Walter - or possibly current Black Caps assistant/batting coach Luke Ronchi - in charge of the white-ball teams.
Former NZ bowling/assistant coach Shane Jurgensen and Canterbury coach and former Black Caps opener Peter Fulton have also been touted as possible applicants - Jurgensen could be interested in either or both roles, while Fulton could be tempted to seek the test job, whether or not his mentor Stead will.
The next international outing for the Black Caps - who finished the 2024/25 season on Saturday by defeating Pakistan in Mt Maunganui to sweep their ODI series 3-0 - is in Zimbabwe in July.
Next year’s major ICC event is the T20 World Cup, to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
New Zealand’s test schedule over the next year is not an arduous one - they will play two tests in Zimbabwe in August, and a three-match series at home versus the West Indies in December, before T20Is become the priority until a test in Ireland in May, followed by three versus England.
However, the Black Caps will play a three-test series in England in June 2026, India will visit in November next year for two tests, five ODIs and five T20Is, and that’s followed by a four-test series in Australia in December 2026 and January 2027.
Stead’s test record is favourable - as head coach for the past 52 matches, New Zealand has won 27 tests, drawn six and lost 19.
His predecessor Mike Hesson was in charge for 53 tests, with the Black Caps winning 21, drawing 13 and losing 19. The highly-competitive NZ test side of the 1980s, featuring Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe, won 17, lost 15 and drew 27.