ICC's Associate Cricketer of the Decade steps down as captain
Coetzer, 38, debuted for Scotland in 2008 and has captained his team at the U15, U17, and U19 levels, including the 2004 ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh. He took over Scotland's reins in 2013 when Gordon Drummond stepped down.
Friday's League 2 game between Scotland and UAE will be Coetzer's 214th international appearance and his 110th as captain. Scotland are currently second in the League 2 Standings.
Coetzer also boasts of being their highest run-scorer in ODIs with 2867 runs in 73 matches at an average of 42.79. He was named ICC's Associate Cricketer of the Decade last year. He is also Scotland's third most capped player in cricket history.
He also has most wins than any other Scottish captain and led his team when they qualified for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2021.
Although Coetzer will be stepping down from captaincy, he has expressed the desire to continue playing the game. His successor will be appointed before Scotland's next series in July against Namibia and Nepal.
"I have thought long and hard about my decision to step down as captain of the Scotland men’s side and have decided this test against the UAE will be my last at the helm," he said in an official statement.
"It's been an absolute pleasure to lead this group through various stages in our growth and development and captain my country and I will look back on the time with such fondness. I’m extremely proud of where we have got to and I’m even more excited with where this team can go to under its next leader.
"It’s been fantastic to see how the players are managing themselves on the field recently and to effectively have more than one leader out there has been a really positive and encouraging sign for me. It was this that made me feel it was the right time to share my decision and step down.
"I’m so grateful to have been able to impact this group of players and help Scotland through this phase of cricket that I’ve been involved in. I’ve certainly given it my all and I hope the players and fans also feel it’s been a positive experience. Although part of me is sad to be stepping down, I’m happy with where the team currently sits and I’m full of anticipation about what’s to come next for us all.
My biggest driving force over years has been to help the team have everything they need and lead them in every way I can. Moving forward I have no desire to stop playing and will be giving everything I have to my fellow players and the next captain – going out and scoring as many runs as I possibly can for Scotland remains the focus.
“We have one more game in the USA and I plan to get my head down and try to enjoy the occasion. We’ve still got points to pick up in the next couple of series and heading towards the World Cup qualifier, we want to ensure we achieve automatic qualification for the qualifying tournament, which is a real motivation for me.
"I’m extremely proud and thankful for all the efforts of my teammates and everyone who has helped me along the way. It’s been a great journey so far and there’s going to be some more exciting cricket to play yet."
Cricket Scotland Interim Head of Performance Toby Bailey congratulated Coetzer on a successful captaincy career.
"On behalf of all of Cricket Scotland, the coaching staff, men’s team and Scottish cricketing community, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Kyle for all he has done during his time as captain," Bailey said.
"An incredible leader and cricketing talent, Kyle has made an unforgettable contribution to the game in Scotland, helping the team progress over the years and inspiring others.
"We are all looking forward to seeing what Kyle continues to do on the field as a player and wish him all the very best for this next chapter."