PCB reaches out to Luke Ronchi for head coach slot

KARACHI: Amid Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) search for the national side's head coach, the board has approached ex-New Zealand cricketer Luke Ronchi for the vacant position, Geo News reported on Tuesday citing sources.

The development comes after PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi last week had said that the board was making a proper panel for the coaches which was in the final stages ahead of the five-match T20I series against the Black Caps which is set to commence on April 18.

Ronchi, who had previously turned down the PCB's offer of becoming the Men in Green's coach last year, has asked for some time to mull over the prospects of coaching the Men in Green, the sources added.

The post of head coach, along with others were left vacant after Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick, were transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore after a change in their portfolios in November 2023, left their respective positions in January this year.

In April 2023, Arthur was named Director of the Pakistan men’s cricket team while Bradburn was roped in as head coach of the Pakistan national men’s side earlier last year. Meanwhile, former South Africa cricketer Puttick worked as batting coach since April 2023.

It is to be noted that the former New Zealand player, has featured in four Tests, 85 ODIs and 33 T20Is after making his limited-overs debut for Australia in 2008.

In league cricket, Ronchi has played for Guyana Amazon Warriors, Islamabad United, Mumbai Indian and Perth Scorchers.

The development comes after Shane Watson, Mike Hesson and Darren Sammy refused to coach the Pakistan team.

Watson, had turned down the offer owing to his current coaching and commentary commitments rather than leaving them at a short notice.

Meanwhile, Sammy declined approaches from the PCB, citing his existing contract with the West Indies board as the head coach of the white-ball teams.