Gary Stead Named Andhra Head Coach for 2025-26 Ranji Trophy

Former New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has been appointed head coach of Andhra's senior men's team for the 2025-26 domestic season, the Andhra Cricket Association said on Saturday. The 53-year-old has signed a one-year contract with an option to extend for a second year, and is expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam within days to assess probables and work with the state selection committee ahead of the Ranji Trophy opener in mid-October.

ACA officials described the hiring as a deliberate effort to lift standards and professionalise the state setup. "Gary Stead is not just a coach, he is a culture builder," ACA President Kesineni Sivanath said, adding that Stead's experience aligns with the association's goals for talent development, tactical preparation and operational discipline. ACA secretary Sana Satish Babu, whose name appeared with slight variations in different reports, said the association had initially considered an Australian candidate before a recommendation to approach Stead. "Right from the very first conversation, we were struck by his preparedness," he said, according to the association.

Stead, who led New Zealand at the international level from 2018 until he stood...