Daren Sammy has been appointed as the new head coach of the West Indies men's cricket team for all formats, including Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. This appointment marks a major milestone in Sammy's coaching career, as he expands his role with the team.
Sammy, who has been the head coach for the West Indies' T20I and ODI teams since 2023, will take over the Test team starting in April 2025. The announcement was made by Cricket West Indies (CWI) Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, in St. Vincent.
"It's always an honour to represent the West Indies in any format or position," Sammy said at the press conference. "Coaching was never something I saw myself doing, but I've developed a strong passion for it. I believe in processes, and I'm excited about this new journey. We've had success in the white-ball formats, and now I'll work to bring that same approach to Test cricket."
The 40-year-old former captain has seen considerable success in his coaching role with the white-ball teams. Under his leadership, the West Indies won 15 of 28 ODIs and four out of seven bilateral series since May 2023. In T20Is, they secured 20 wins from 35 matches, including series victories against India, England, and South Africa.
Despite this success, the West Indies Test team, led by Andre Coley since May 2023, has struggled. The team has won only two Test matches, drawn two, and lost seven. However, their most notable achievement was an eight-run victory over Australia in Brisbane earlier this year.
Bascombe highlighted the need for consistency in the Test team and expressed confidence in Sammy's ability to lead across all formats. "Post our current World Test Championship campaign, we are going to be expanding Mr. Sammy's role to encompass all formats," Bascombe said. "We've been impressed with his leadership and the consistency he has brought to our white-ball teams. That is exactly what we need for the Test team."
