New Delhi: Tinu Yohannan has been replaced as Andhras head coach for the 2025–2026 domestic season by Gary Stead. After Yohannan moved to the MRF Pace Foundation earlier this year the former coach of the New Zealand mens team who led them to the World Test Championship title in 2021 and served from 2018 until June 2025 has taken over. Andhra cricket enters a new era under his guidance aiming for bigger milestones and top-tier performances this season the Andhra Cricket Association wrote on social media. Stead guided New Zealand to three major limited-overs finals Stead who is 53-years-old is regarded as New Zealand’s most successful coach as he has guided the team to three major limited-overs finals which includes the 2019 ODI World Cup the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy along with a landmark 3-0 Test series victory in India. Stead also led the New Zealand womens team to the 2009 ODI World Cup finals and the 2010 T20 World Cup finals earlier in his career. He also led Canterbury in domestic red-ball cricket from 2013 to 2017 winning three Plunket Shield titles and making it to another final. Gary Stead career stat Gary Stead played for New Zealand in five Testsand scored 278 runs at an average of 34.75. In domestic cricket he featured in 101 first-class matches and 103 List A games scoring 4984 and 2173 runs respectively. Andhra only managed one outright victory in seven games finishing sixth in their group in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy. Their challenges continued in white-ball cricket as well they lost in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy preliminary quarterfinal and were eliminated from the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockout stages. Andhra will start their 2025-26 domestic season with a Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh on October 15. Story Highlight Former New Zealand head coach Gary Stead replaces Tinu Yohannan as Andhras head coach. Stead is regarded as New Zealand’s most successful coach as he has guided the team to three major limited-overs finals. Gary Stead played for New Zealand in five Testsand scored 278 runs at an average of 34.75. Andhra will start their 2025-26 domestic season with a Ranji Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh on October 15.