Gary Stead admits Andhra coaching is outside his comfort zone after years on New Zealand cricket and sees it as a chance to professionally grow when working with young and experienced players in Indian domestic cricket.
Stead joins a selected group of foreign coaches who contributed to the Indian domestic parties, watched the roads Dave Whatmore, Michael Bevan, Intikhab Alam, Darren Holder, Shaun Williams, Dermott Reeve and Alvin Kallicharan. Its record record includes the leadership of New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup 2019, the World Cup 2021 T20, the World Championship victory in 2021 and the final performance in the 2025 trophies.
“I think I’m here from my comfort zone after I was in New Zealand. I’m trying to go there and try and I think to be uncomfortable with a role, but I’m sure I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead,” said Stead on the PTI.
“I think it’s also a great opportunity for me to learn about my coaching.”
The stead was attracted to Andhra after discussions with President Aca to Sivanath and Secretary of Satheesh Babu, impressed their vision of the team. He liked the direction that Andhra was handled and wanted to contribute to this growth.
“I talked to some people I knew who just told me that the role of Andhra was upstairs and that people were interested in talking to me.”
“I had a meeting with them and I liked the direction that the team was trying to take, and that was going from there. I’m really excited to be here and worked with the team.” But how difficult was it for him to get into a homework from his home country after spent eight years as a national coach? “I don’t look at it (coaching) at any level.
Stead sees this as a way to try their coaching in new environments, with the aim of “constantly learning about my coaching” and “to question new conditions”. They believe that the Indian range of playgrounds and cricket conditions will add valuable experience to his career.
After traveling India 8-9 times as a coach in New Zealand and brings knowledge of local conditions. He stressed the recent rare success that New Zealand led to the victory of 3-0 test series in India last year. His philosophy of coaching focuses on the authorization of players to become their “best coaches” and smarter creators on the pitch.
The stead is enthusiastic about working with Andhra’s Talent Pool, including Indian players such as Nitish Kumar Reddy, KS Bharat and homemade artists such as Ricky Bhui. It remarks a strong combination of youth and team experience.
“I will still meet players, but there are a lot of talents. There is a nice mix and a mixture of younger players and older players, and if they can connect and play well as a team and as a group, then I hope we are putting pressure on every team we play,” said Stead.
It supports the new Trophy Split Format and says it helps players to adapt and mirror international planning. Stead exports his The role of Andhra with the position of a high -performance part -time coach For New Zealand cricket and says it is manageable because his Andhra Stint is only for the Red Ball season.
“This is (a high -performance coach) just a part -time role when I’m back in New Zealand, just helping. My role Andhra is only for the Ranji trophy, for the Red Ball team.”
“So, I think, I think, supervise some of the white ball things, but I’m not going to be here physically.
Andhra will compete in the elite group A, along with Uttar Pradesh, Baroda, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Vidarbha and Nagaland.
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Published on:
October 12, 2025
