Gary Stead, one of New Zealand cricket’s most successful coaches, has decided to step down from his role, bringing an end to his seven-year tenure once his contract expires next month.
Stead, who guided New Zealand to the ICC World Test Championship title, played a pivotal role in maintaining the team’s consistency across formats. Under his leadership, New Zealand reached the finals of three global tournaments and achieved a historic 3-0 Test series win over India. Despite his achievements, Stead recently withdrew from white-ball coaching duties to reflect on his future in red-ball cricket. Ultimately, he has opted to leave entirely once his current deal concludes.
Appointed in 2018 as the successor to Mike Hesson, Stead made an immediate impact, leading the team to the dramatic 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final, where New Zealand narrowly lost to England due to a boundary countback after a tied Super Over — one of the most heartbreaking finishes in cricket history.
In 2021, Stead coached New Zealand to a historic victory in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final against India — the country’s first-ever global cricket title. He also guided the Black Caps to the finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, as well as to the semifinals of the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Reflecting on his time in charge, Stead said:
“Everything I’ve done over the past seven years has been driven by the goal of representing New Zealand with excellence. We built on the foundation left by Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson, and matured as a team. Our aim was always to compete consistently and show the world that the Black Caps are not easily beaten.”
He added:
“Coaching a team from a country of just five million people, with limited resources, yet still challenging the very best in the world — that’s something to be proud of.”
Although stepping down from the New Zealand setup, Stead is not retiring from coaching altogether. The 53-year-old said he now wants to take a break, spend time with his family, and consider his next move before returning to the coaching world in the future.
