Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile photo of Shane Jurgensen
Bowling coach Shane Jurgensen will stay on with the BLACKCAPS for the full tour of India later this year rather than returning to New Zealand following the T20I series as initially planned.
The rearrangement of Jurgensen’s winter touring commitments came about after his scheduled departure on Friday was delayed as a result of visa complications caused by the recent nationwide lockdown.
He was due to link up with the current BLACKCAPS squad in Pakistan to take over the reins for the five-game T20I series starting in Lahore next weekend.
Instead, Jurgensen will now depart directly for the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE in early October, alongside regular BLACKCAPS coaches Gary Stead and Luke Ronchi.
The silver lining is that Jurgensen is now able to stay on for the two Test tour of India in late November/early December, rather than returning home as previously planned – in accordance with NZC’s player and staff welfare protocols.
Current BLACKCAPS coaches Glenn Pocknall (head), Graeme Aldridge (bowling) and Tilan Samaraweera (batting) will continue to lead the touring team in Pakistan, while the previously vacant bowling coach role for the India Test series no longer needs to be filled with Jurgensen on board.
Name of Author: New Zealand Cricket
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.