Cricket officials announced on Wednesday that Andrew McDonald will continue as Australia’s head coach for at least an extended period of five years until the end of 2027 following the extension of his contract. The 43-year-old has been head coach since 2022 and has won both the World Test Championship and the One-Day World Cup, as well as an away Ashes series victory over England.
Australia sits at the top position in the ICC Test ranking, second position in both One-Day Internationals and T20s; unfortunately, the team suffered a quick elimination from the T20 World Cup held in June.
“Andrew has shown himself to be an exceptional men’s head coach whose strength is not only in achieving great results but also in developing a very good coaching staff, a clear game plan and a healthy atmosphere for the team,” said Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley.
“We are happy to prolong his stay for an additional two years.”
McDonald, a former Test all-rounder, initially took the reins of one of the highest-profile roles in cricket on the back of Justin Langer’s abrupt resignation as head coach, on an interim basis.
“All my fellow coaches and wider staff have been professional, dedicated, and experienced and as a result, the journey has been a great one,” McDonald said on Wednesday.
“Moreover, (it has) developed a sense of togetherness, confidence and inclusion within the team.
“I think it speaks a lot of all of us as a group, players and staff, how we have faced international cricket, it may be for all formats and I am equally glad.”
Australia will take on India in a blockbuster five-match home Test series which begins on November 22 in Perth.
