Andre Coley and Daren Sammy named new West Indies men’s head coaches

West Indies in a split-coaching policy, have named Andre Coley their Test coach, while Daren Sammy will take care of limited-overs cricket.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) today, May 12, 2023, announced the appointments of the new Head Coaches for the West Indies Senior Men’s Teams.

Andre Coley has been appointed Head Coach for the Test and ‘A’ Teams and former two-time T20 World Cup-winning West Indies captain Daren Sammy has been appointed the Head Coach for the white-ball One Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) Teams.

Following an open and transparent interview process, the new Head Coaches were chosen, and the positions were officially made following the CWI Board of Directors meeting on May 11th.

Sammy, a former West Indies captain in all three forms, guided his team to the 2012 and 2016 ICC T20 World Cup victories. Since his retirement, he has served as a franchise team coach in the Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League.

The 39-year-old Sammy said: “It will be a challenge but one that I’m 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. I’m looking forward to imparting my knowledge, my tactical acumen, my communication skills, and my man-management skills. I get excited about putting the plans together and seeing the players execute them.”

With reference to the independent, three-member World Cup Review Group's recommendation to consider splitting coaching duties as one factor to aid in improving team preparation, CWI announced in March that the role of Head Coach for the West Indies Senior Men's Teams will be split into two separate positions.

“I am honored to be appointed West Indies Men’s Head Coach of the red-ball team”- Andre Coley

Former Jamaican wicketkeeper and batsman Coley has coached West Indies cricket at all levels. With his most recent position as Head Coach of the West Indies Academy, he served as Interim Head Coach of the West Indies squad for earlier this year's tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

He said: “I am honored 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. I also look forward to working with all our stakeholders, deepening relationships, and fostering a high-performance mindset. I am also excited to be working closely with the ‘A Team’ as we seek to optimize opportunities for teams to play competitive cricket outside of our first-class competition and give 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.”

The recruitment process for a Head Coach of the West Indies Women’s team has commenced and the deadline for applications of Wednesday 17 May.