Former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney questions head coach Gary Stead's absence during India series

New Zealand finally broke their ignominious run of eight consecutive defeats in International cricket after they successfully overhauled India’s total of 347 at Seddon Park in Hamilton. They did it in the absence of their captain Kane Williamson made the victory special. The hosts came into the game without the services of their thinktank-led by Kane Williamson, who continues to recover from his shoulder injury and Head Coach Gary Stead, who is on a ‘pre-planned’ one-week leave.

Stead’s leave at this crucial juncture when New Zealand were in the midst of damning eight-match losing streak during one of their most important seasons- where they are playing each of the Big Three- has caused massive outrage in the country and it is firmly spearheaded by former captain Jeremy Coney. 

“This is probably the most important season we’ve had for 10 years, with no Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and West Indies to feast on… We’re facing the three big boys (Australia, India, and England). They were marmalized in Australia and it’s now five-zip at home. Wouldn’t you think the main coach and selector would be there?”Jeremy Coney said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Earlier NZC chief-executive David White had defended the move as a part of workload management when he said, “Player and support staff’s workload is a big issue in international cricket. We lost our last coach, Mike Hesson, to workload issues. We want to make the role sustainable going forward. That is why Gary (Stead) is having the week off this week.”

Terming it as “ridiculous”, Coney went on to ask whether the All-Blacks coach Steve Hansen would have done the same thing if his side had been 0-1 down against the Lions? “Can you see Steve Hansen leaving the All Blacks after they are one-nil down against the Lions, and taking a week off before the second Test?

This is the job and this is the main part of the season. It’s ridiculous this is happening at this crunch time. You don’t take your captain away from the helm when you are wanted most, when the ship is in deep shook, amongst the rocks.” Coney added.

“I’m quite annoyed about it,” says Coney

Jeremy Coney even went to the extent of calling it a “desertion'”, reckoning if he had been in David White’s place, he would have spoken to Gary Stead directly about having a separate coach for the T20 format. “Would you call it desertion or would you just say, ‘It’s really bad look fellas’? If I was David White I would say to myself, no I’m sorry Gary, you can wait a week. If you are really finding it tough and have to be away from the family, let’s have a chat and find another coach for the T20 format.

“I’m quite annoyed about it. I’ve heard they want to freshen up for the other challenges ahead after this series. What? What? What series are they? They’ve got three T20 and three ODIs versus Australia. They have the rest of March off, all of April, all of May, a couple of weeks in June off, then we face the might of Ireland, Scotland and West Indies,” he further said. 

Meanwhile, the Kiwis and their head coach will be relieved that the streak of eight consecutive defeats was finally broken in Hamilton thanks to whirlwind half-centuries from Henry Nicholls and captain Tom Latham, ably backed up by an unbeaten hundred from Ross Taylor.