NewKerala.com

Richard Pybus Appointed Afghanistan Cricket's New Head Coach

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the national team, succeeding Jonathan Trott. Pybus brings a decorated international coaching resume, highlighted by designing the high-performance system that led the West Indies to a unique treble of World Cup wins in 2016. His extensive career also includes guiding Pakistan to the 1999 World Cup final and holding senior roles with Bangladesh Cricket. Beyond coaching, Pybus holds a doctorate for his research on building optimal performance systems in sports.

Key Points: Richard Pybus Named Afghanistan Cricket Head Coach

  • Replaces Jonathan Trott after T20 World Cup 2026
  • Brings elite experience from West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh
  • Guided West Indies to historic 2016 treble
  • Noted for developing stars like Rizwan and Du Plessis
3 min read

Richard Pybus becomes Afghanistan cricket team's new head coach

Richard Pybus, a three-time World Cup-winning coach, replaces Jonathan Trott as the new head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team.

"He is a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup-winning Head Coach & Director of Cricket - Afghanistan Cricket Board"

Kabul, February 24

Richard Pybus has been appointed as the new head coach of Afghanistan cricket team, according to a press release by Afghanistan Cricket Board on Tuesday. Pybus replaced Jonathan Trott, whose tenure ended after Afghanistan's campaign finished in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

The 61-year-old Pybus is set to join Afghanistan team ahead of the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka in March.

After taking charge in July 2022, Trott oversaw Afghanistan's rise as a competitive white-ball side. Under his guidance, Afghanistan entered the semi-final in the T20 World Cup 2024 edition. In 2026 edition, the Rashid Khan-led side managed to win only two group-stage matches and failed to enter the Super Eights.

Pybus has a distinguished international coaching career. He is a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup-winning Head Coach & Director of Cricket and brings a wealth of elite-level experience and a proven record of building high-performance systems.

His recognised coaching journey includes serving as Head Coach, Director of Cricket, and Head of High Performance for the West Indies cricket team from 2013 to 2019. During this period, he designed and managed the high-performance structure that led to a historic treble of ICC World Cup victories in 2016, when the West Indies Men's, Women's, and U19 teams all secured world titles in a single calendar year, which marked the first in the history of international cricket.

Previously, Pybus served as Head Coach of the Pakistan National Cricket Team and guided the side to the ICC Cricket World Cup Final in 1999, which they lost to Australia. He has also held a senior leadership role with the Bangladesh Cricket in 2013.

He has a strong coaching record in South African domestic & franchise cricket, where the teams under his guidance secured nine championship titles, which is also a national record. Additionally, he was named South African Cricket Coach of the Year twice.

He has also played a significant role in the development of individual players, including Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan and South Africa's Faf Du Plessis. Additionally, he worked with Dale Steyn and helped him become one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket.

Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Pybus is a highly respected academic and performance strategist. In 2022, he received a Doctorate in Professional Practice from Middlesex University in London in recognition of his research on the principles behind the "Optimal Performance System." This framework is designed to achieve consistent and winning results across various cultures and high-performance environments.

In addition to his Doctorate, Pybus holds a postgraduate degree from Greenwich University in London and a BA Hons degree from Portsmouth University in the UK.

Pybus is a Level Four CSA Certified Coach and has an Executive Coaching Certificate from the Neuroleadership Institute. Furthermore, he is a Certified Performance Coach and a Master's Level NLP Practitioner.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Jonathan Trott did a wonderful job, taking them to a semi-final. It feels a bit harsh to let him go after one disappointing World Cup. Hope the board is giving Pybus a long-term vision and not just expecting instant miracles.
A
Arjun K
His resume is seriously impressive. A World Cup final with Pakistan, that historic treble with West Indies... and a doctorate! He's not just a coach, he's a performance scientist. Rashid Khan and the boys will learn so much. Can't wait to see them play SL.
P
Priya S
As an Indian fan, I love watching Afghanistan play. They have such raw talent. A coach like Pybus who focuses on "systems" and "high-performance environments" is exactly what they need to channel that talent consistently. More competition is good for world cricket! 🇮🇳🤝
V
Vikram M
Hope he works on their batting temperament. They rely too much on Rashid, Mujeeb, and Naveen. If he can develop 2-3 solid middle-order batters, they will be a threat to anyone. His work with Rizwan shows he can do that.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, I'm a bit skeptical. He has hopped between so many teams (Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies). Does he understand the unique culture and challenges in Afghanistan? Coaching isn't just about systems from a textbook. Trott seemed to connect well with the players.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50