Black Caps coach Gary Stead confirmed today he will step down from coaching the white ball formats while he considers his future in the test arena. 

He will decide in the next few weeks if he wishes to reapply for the test coach role with New Zealand Cricket confirming the head coaching role will be advertised. 

“I’m looking forward to getting away from touring life for a while and having a think about my future,” Stead said. 

“My focus has been on finishing the season strongly with a lesser experienced team. 

“The past six to seven months has been particularly busy with relatively non-stop cricket action since September. 

“I now want to evaluate my options but still feel I have coaching left in me, albeit not as head coach across all formats. 

“The next month will give me the opportunity to discuss the situation more with my wife, family and others. 

“I’ll be in a better position to know whether I want to reapply for the test coaching position after this time of reflection.” 

Stead was first appointed to the position in 2018 following the resignation of Mike Hesson. 

During Stead’s tenure, the Black Caps have won 27 of 52 test matches including victory in the inaugural World Test Championship final and a 3-0 series win in India, the first team in test history to do so. 

They also reached the final of three major tournaments - the 2019 ODI World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy final earlier this year. 

More to come