Sammy to serve as WI head coach for all formats

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

West Indies white-ball head coach Daren Sammy has been rewarded for his success with the T20 and ODI teams and will now take over the reins of the Test team from April next year.

In a surprise announcement at Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) quarterly press conference yesterday, Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe revealed that a decision was taken by the board to renew Sammy’s contract and to also make him head coach of the Test side.

It means that the 40-year-old Sammy will take over the position on April 1, 2025, from Andre Coley, who was appointed head coach of the Test team in May 2023.

Coley’s last series in charge will be the two-match tour of Pakistan from January 16 to 28, 2025.

Since taking over as white-ball head coach 18 months ago, the West Indies’ T20 team has won 20 of their 35 matches while the ODI side won 15 of its 28 matches.

In contrast, Coley won just one Test series against Zimbabwe in early 2024, while losing series to India, England, and South Africa.

Bascombe said the board was impressed with Sammy’s leadership and believes that he can help to turn the fortunes of the Test team around.

“Further to that renewal, post our current World Test Championship campaign, we are going to be expanding Mr Sammy’s role to encompass all formats,” Bascombe said to loud applause.

“So when we host Australia next summer, Daren Sammy will be the head coach of all senior men’s teams.

“We have been quite impressed with the way that he has charted the course for our white ball teams, and he has guided them towards consistency of performance, and that is exactly what we want to see in our Test team,” he added.

Bascombe also lauded Coley for his work, saying that he would continue to receive support until the end of his tenure.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Andre Coley, who has served well. He still has to complete his World Test Championship campaign in Pakistan, and he will have our full support,” he said.

A beaming Sammy said he was looking forward to the challenge of improving the performances of the Test unit.

He said he had already identified areas that needed to be addressed if the West Indies is to once again become a world force in Test cricket.

“It’s always an honour to represent West Indies in any format or any position.

“For me, this news is not something I was expecting. Coaching was never something I saw myself doing, but I must admit, the way that it’s been going, I’ve developed a much stronger passion and a love for the job,” Sammy said.