Andhra Appoints Gary Stead, NZ Coach, Post World Test Championship Win

The Andhra cricket team has made a notable move by bringing on board a World Test Championship-winning coach for the forthcoming domestic season. The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) has successfully enlisted Gary Stead, the accomplished coach of the triumphant New Zealand team.

ACA secretary Sana Sathish Babu shared with Cricbuzz that the initial plan was to consider an Australian coach. However, upon a friend’s suggestion, they approached Gary Stead. He impressed them from the outset with his thorough understanding of the team during their initial discussions.

Over a successful seven-year tenure with the Black Caps, Stead led New Zealand to the pinnacle of the ICC Test and ODI rankings. Under his guidance, the team clinched the World Test Championship in 2021 and reached the World Cup final in 2019, notably defeating India in the semifinals of the World Cup and the World Test Championship final, both held in England.

Stead, aged 53, is expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam within a week. The initial contract is for one year, but it is hinted that he has committed to staying with the state team for at least two years. He intends to review the potential players and will work closely with the state selection committee.

As part of the agreement, Stead requested permission to travel home to New Zealand during Christmas, a condition to which ACA agreed. His Indian work visa has been processed, and he is expected to assume his duties between September 20-25.

Last season, Andhra had a lukewarm performance, finishing sixth in the Ranji Elite Group B with one win and three losses out of seven matches. In the VHT competition, they secured fourth place in the eight-team Group B, and in the SMAT, they led their group but fell to UP in the pre-quarterfinals.

The team experienced a setback when senior player Hanuma Vihari decided to leave the state before the season commenced. Ricky Bhui will lead the squad, with experienced spinner Saurabh Kumar, who was signed from Uttar Pradesh, included as a professional for the season.

Although a few IPL franchises had shown interest in Stead, no formal agreements have been reached yet.