BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AFTER months of searching, Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday (May 12) confirmed Daren Sammy as the new coach for the regional white ball teams, while Andre Coley was appointed Head Coach for the Test and ‘A’ teams.
The appointment of the duo came after what CWI described as an “open and transparent interview process”, after which the appointments were confirmed following the CWI Board of Directors meeting on Thursday {May 11).
Sammy will jump straight into action, with his first assignment being a three-match ODI Series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Sharjah in June, ahead of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe.
Commenting on his appointment to CWI Media, Sammy explained that it would be a challenge, but one that he is “ready for and excited about”.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity, especially looking at the players we have and the impact that I believe I can have in the dressing room. I believe I will bring the same approach as I had as a player: the passion, the desire for success, and my undying love for West Indies cricket. When I look around, there is an abundance of talent, and what I saw in South Africa in the white ball matches under new captains Shai Hope and Rovman Powell and the leadership provided by Andre Coley, there is great belief that we can do well,” Sammy said.
The two-time T20 World Cup winning captain is looking forward to imparting knowledge through “my tactical acumen, my communication skills and my man-management skills” to the team - those being the West Indies One Day International and T20 units.
Coley, 48, was a Jamaican wicket-keeper/batsman who was bumped up to Interim Head Coach of the West Indies team on the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa following the departure of Phil Simmonds last year.
“I am honoured to be appointed West Indies Men’s Head Coach of the red-ball team after serving in the interim role on the Zimbabwe and South Africa tours. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead, as well as the opportunities as we sharpen our focus on moving up the Test rankings, and qualifying for the World Test Championship final in June 2025,” Coley told CWI media.
He is also looking forward to working with all stakeholders, while deepening relationships and fostering a high-performance mindset.
“I am also excited to be working closely with the ‘A’ Team as we seek to optimise opportunities for teams to play competitive cricket outside of our first-class competition and giving players greater exposure to different conditions at the international level. I believe that my expertise in the use of analytics, my leadership style and technical knowledge along with collaborative efforts alongside Daren, will make a positive contribution to player development and team performances,” added Coley.
