The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reached out to former New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Luke Ronchi to potentially serve as the head coach for the national team. Currently serving as New Zealand’s assistant coach, Ronchi has requested some time to consider the offer, according to sources.
This isn’t the first time Ronchi has been approached by the PCB for a coaching role with the Men in Green. He had previously declined an offer from the PCB, which led to the appointment of Grant Bradburn as head coach.
This recent development follows PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s statement last week, mentioning the board’s efforts to finalize a coaching panel ahead of the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting on April 18th.
The coaching positions became vacant after Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, and Andrew Puttick were transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore in November 2023. Arthur assumed the role of Director of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, while Bradburn became the head coach of the national men’s side. Puttick served as batting coach since April 2023.
Luke Ronchi, a former cricketer who represented both Australia and New Zealand, has an impressive international career record spanning Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. In addition to his international career, Ronchi has also played for various franchise teams in league cricket, including Guyana Amazon Warriors, Islamabad United, Mumbai Indian, and Perth Scorchers.
The PCB’s search for a head coach faced setbacks as Shane Watson, Mike Hesson, and Darren Sammy declined offers. Watson cited existing coaching and commentary commitments, while Sammy cited contractual obligations with the West Indies board as the head coach of the white-ball teams.
