Daniel Vettori to take the reins as Australia continue coaching musical chairs

Daniel Vettori will take over as Australia’s white-ball coach next month as workload management measures are taken after a hectic 12 months.

Daniel Vettori will take over as head coach during Australia’s white-ball series against the West Indies as Cricket Australia continues to manage the workload of its coaching staff through a hectic schedule.

In a move that is not unusual, head coach Andrew McDonald will take a break in early February, with assistant Vettori to step up before McDonald returns ahead of the tour of New Zealand.

Vettori, the former Black Caps captain, is himself having a break this week during the Adelaide Test, with ex-Victorian and South Australian quick Rob Cassell filling in as bowling coach.

The men’s team effectively uses a rotating cast of coaches. Fielding coach Andre Borovec took over during the T20 series in India following the World Cup while most of the main cast had a break, before Borovec then sat out the Perth Test, where Trent Woodhill and Mike Hussey made cameo appearances.

Former Victorian paceman Clint McKay and Zimbabwean great Andy Flower are among the others who have chipped in throughout a massive eight months for the national team, dating back to the Ashes tour.

Andrew McDonald will sit out the white-ball series against the West Indies. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Lachlan Stevens, coaching Australia’s under-19 team at the World Cup, also featured as an assistant during the Indian T20s, along with Woodhill, who has been a long-time batting mentor to Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins as well as working as an administrator in the Big Bash League and The Hundred.

Australia’s primary coaching group of McDonald, Vettori, Borovec and Michael Di Venuto spent more than half of last year on the road through a gruelling schedule that included Test tours of England, India and the World Cup, as well as lower-profile white-ball series in South Africa and India. Vettori also coaches Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

The practice of resting coaches is not new to the McDonald era. Justin Langer was also given a chop out during his tenure, missing a white-ball tour to India in early 2020, coincidentally relieved by McDonald.

It’s been a busy 12 months for Australia coach Andrew McDonald and his staff. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Langer’s predecessor Darren Lehmann also had the occasional spell, with Langer taking over for some T20 cricket while Lehmann held the top job.

Some other nations, including the Windies and England, have separate head coaches in Test cricket and white-ball cricket.

Mitch Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins will miss the three ODI series against the Windies in the first week of February as part of their workload management.

CA meanwhile announced on Wednesday that Matt Renshaw would depart the Australian squad on Thursday to allow him to play in Brisbane Heat’s BBL final against the Sydney Sixers on the Gold Coast on Friday night.

Renshaw, the spare batter in Australia’s Test squad, will then rejoin the Test camp where he would be called upon if a batting concussion substitute is needed.

Originally published as Daniel Vettori to take the reins as Australia continue coaching musical chairs