New Zealand confirm Stead reappointment with global tournaments on the horizon
Stead's previous contract ran until the end of this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India, though under the new deal, the 51-year-old will also oversee the Black Caps' T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in the USA and the West Indies and beyond.
According to the national board, the decision to continue with Stead "received unanimous support", also rejecting a formal split-coaching model that was discussed as part of the coaching consideration process.
Stead took charge in 2018, taking the team to the Cricket World Cup Final in 2019. The side claimed the inaugural World Test Championship mace in 2021, and reached the final of T20 World Cup 2021.
New Zealand Cricket’s General Manager of High Performance Bryan Stronach said the man at the helm of the men's national team remains the best-positioned for the role.
“The support for Gary was overwhelmingly positive – from the players, the Black Caps support staff, Major Association coaches and support staff, as well as the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and NZC High Performance Unit staff.
“Gary’s results have been very impressive and we’re confident that he still has a lot to offer the team."
“Of course, a big part of this decision came down to whether Gary wanted to continue and he made it clear his appetite to take this team forward was as keen as ever.”
New Zealand Test captain Tim Southee echoed Stronach's sentiments, highlighting Stead's people skills as a key virtue, on top of his expertise for on-field success.
“Gary’s had great success leading us into finals in all three formats and, of course, that World Test Championship win. It’s been great the way that he’s come in and built on what was previously achieved.
“The sheer amount of time players and support staff spend away from family and loved ones makes for a challenging environment.
“With so much cricket being played these days, being able to effectively manage people and their workloads is a huge part of the job.”
New Zealand Cricket also confirmed the continuation of their "fourth coach" concept, appointing another staff member on overseas tour with a "specialist skillset or knowledge of specific overseas environments or formats."
Saqlain Mushtaq, Luke Wright and Thilan Samaraweera have been hired on tours of Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka respectively, with Shane Bond and Stephen Fleming also joining the team on a consultation basis.