West Indies have appointed former captain Darren Sammy as the coach of all three formats of the game, handing him control of the Test team from next year, apart from the ODIs and Twenty20s.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in a statement that the current Test coach, Andre Kole, will remain in charge ahead of a top performance for the series against Pakistan in January.
“Darren Sammy has demonstrated exceptional leadership during his tenure with the Whiteball teams,” said CWI President Kishore Shlow. “His vision, dedication, and ability to inspire players make him the ideal candidate to lead across all formats. This appointment marks a bold and exciting step as we continue to take West Indies cricket to new heights.” are trying
Sammy, the first Saint Lucian to play international cricket, captained the West Indies to T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016 and took over as the white-ball coach in May 2023.
He will celebrate his 41st birthday on Friday.
West Indies are currently ranked fourth in T20 world rankings, eighth in Tests and tenth in ODIs.
The Test team has experienced a significant decline in fortunes since it was the most feared team in world cricket from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.
The Caribbean islanders have won three of 15 Tests since Cooley took charge on an interim basis in December 2022, although that included a notable victory over Australia in Brisbane earlier this year.
“We recognize and appreciate Andre’s efforts during his tenure, and look forward to him serving West Indies cricket in other meaningful capacities,” said Miles Bascombe, CWI’s director of cricket. “We are confident that there will be a smooth transition for the Test (team) from Andre to Darren, both are professionals who have worked productively in the past.”