Australia Cricket Team Coach, Salary, Record, Coaching Staff

Head coach	Andrew McDonald
Assistant coach	Andre Borovec
Assistant coach	Daniel Vettori
T20 Consultant	Brad Hodge
Batting coach	Michael Di Venuto
Bowling coach	Adam Griffith
Fielding and Keeping coach	Matthew Wade

The Australia Cricket Team Coach have played a big role in shaping the team’s success over the years.

From training players to planning match strategies, they have helped Australia achieve great milestones.

In this article, we will look at all the coaches, their salaries, records, and their impact on Indian cricket.

Head Coach: Andrew McDonald

Australia Cricket Team Coach, Salary, Record, Coaching Staff

Andrew Barry McDonald, born on 5th June 1981, is the current head coach of the Australian Cricket Team.

Before becoming a coach, he was a professional cricketer who played for teams like Victoria and South Australia.

He also had a short but impressive career playing for Australia.

McDonald is known for his leadership skills, both as a player and now as the Australia Cricket Team Coach.

Under his coaching, Australia won two big tournaments in 2023 – the ICC World Test Championship Final and the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Read out – Most Wickets in Test for India

Andrew McDonald’s Playing Career

Early Days in Domestic Cricket

McDonald started his first-class cricket career in the 2003-04 season.

In his first ten matches, he took 32 wickets, which was a great start.

His best bowling performance was 6 wickets for 67 runs against Western Australia.

However, he struggled with batting at first. Even though he started batting at number 4, he was moved down to number 8 by the end of the season.

Injuries also troubled him, and in the 2005-06 season, he played only four matches, scoring just 83 runs and taking four wickets.

Breakthrough Season (2006-07)

After recovering from injuries, McDonald had an amazing 2006-07 season.

In the Pura Cup (now Sheffield Shield), he scored more than 500 runs with an average of over 100!

He also took 25 wickets, becoming only the 4th player in Sheffield Shield history to achieve the double of 750 runs and 25 wickets in a single season.

International Career

Due to his strong performances, McDonald was selected in Australia’s 30-man squad for the 2007 World Cup.

He also got a chance in the T20 World Cup squad and the ODI series against India.

Test Debut Against South Africa (2009)

McDonald made his Test debut on 3rd January 2009 against South Africa in Sydney.

He came in to bat at number 6 and scored 15 runs.

In the same match, he took his first Test wicket – getting Hashim Amla out LBW for 51.

He was then selected for the South Africa tour in 2009, where Australia won the series 2-1.

McDonald played a key role, scoring 68 runs in the third Test and taking 6 wickets in the series.

IPL and Limited-Overs Career

McDonald also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for teams like Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

His experience in Indian conditions helped him get selected for Australia’s ODI squad in 2009.

Read out – Most Test Runs in 2024

Andrew McDonald’s Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, McDonald turned to coaching.

He has worked with many teams, gaining experience before becoming the Australian Cricket Team Coach.

Early Coaching Roles

Leicestershire County Cricket Club – McDonald started his coaching journey here.
Victoria and Melbourne Renegades – He coached these teams in Australia’s domestic cricket.
IPL Teams – He was the bowling coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore and later became the head coach of Rajasthan Royals.

Success with Victoria

In his first year as Victoria’s senior coach, McDonald led the team to win the Sheffield Shield.

This success proved he had great coaching skills.

Becoming Australia’s Assistant Coach (2019)

In October 2019, McDonald was appointed as the assistant coach of the Australia Cricket Team, working under Justin Langer.

Appointed as Head Coach (2022)

When Justin Langer resigned in February 2022, McDonald was named the interim head coach.

Due to his excellent work, he was given the full-time role on 13th April 2022 for four years.

Big Wins as Australia Cricket Team Coach

Under McDonald’s coaching, Australia achieved two major trophies in 2023:

ICC World Test Championship Final – Australia defeated India to win the title.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Australia won their 6th World Cup, proving McDonald’s leadership.

Salary

Annual Salary: Around INR 6.5 crore (which is about $800,000 USD).
This makes him one of the highest-paid cricket coaches in the world.

Assistant Coach: Daniel Vettori

Daniel Luca Vettori is a former New Zealand cricketer and a well-known cricket coach.

Born on 27 January 1979, he made history by becoming the youngest male player to represent New Zealand in Test cricket at just 18 years old.

He played for New Zealand from 1997 to 2015 and later became a coach.

Currently, he is the assistant coach of the Australia men’s national cricket team, making him a key figure in the Australia Cricket Team Coach setup.

Vettori was not just a player but a true legend of the game.

He was a bowling all-rounder, meaning he was great at both bowling and batting.

He was the 8th player in Test history to score 3,000 runs and take 300 wickets—a rare achievement that shows his skill.

Vettori’s Playing Career

Early Days and Record-Breaking Debut

Vettori made his Test debut in February 1997 against Sri Lanka at just 18 years old.
He was the 200th player to play Test cricket for New Zealand.
Known for his slow left-arm spin bowling, he was tricky for batsmen to face because of his accuracy and smart variations rather than just spinning the ball a lot.

Captaincy and Leadership

Vettori captained New Zealand from 2007 to 2011.
He is New Zealand’s most-capped Test player (112 matches) and ODI player (291 matches).
Under his leadership, New Zealand reached the 2015 Cricket World Cup final, where they finished as runners-up. After this, he retired from all forms of cricket.

Read out – Most Test Runs in a Calendar Year

Daniel Vettori’s Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Vettori moved into coaching.

His experience and knowledge of the game made him a great choice for many teams.

Coaching in the Indian Premier League (IPL)

Royal Challengers Bangalore (2014-2018) – Vettori was the head coach of this popular IPL team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (2023) – He later became the head coach of this team, showing his growing reputation in T20 cricket.

Other Coaching Roles

Bangladesh Spin Bowling Coach (2019) – He helped improve Bangladesh’s spin bowlers.
Barbados Royals (2021) – He was the head coach in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Assistant Coach of Australia (2022-Present) – Currently, he is working as the assistant coach for the Australia Cricket Team Coach staff, helping them in strategies and player development.

His role with the Australia Cricket Team Coach team is crucial, especially with big tournaments like the T20 World Cup and Ashes coming up.

Batting Records

Vettori wasn’t just a bowler; he was also a handy batsman.

Here are some key stats:

Scored over 4,500 Test runs with 6 centuries.
His highest Test score was 140 against Sri Lanka in 2009.
Took time to settle as a batsman but later became very consistent.

How His Batting Improved

First 1,000 runs took 47 Tests (average: 17.24).
Next 1,000 runs took only 22 Tests (average: 42.52).

This shows how he worked hard to become a better batsman over time.

Bowling Records

Key Bowling Achievements

362 Test wickets – Second only to Sir Richard Hadlee in New Zealand’s history.
297 ODI wickets – New Zealand’s highest in ODIs.
First left-arm spinner to take 300+ wickets in both Tests and ODIs.
Youngest to 100 Test wickets (at just 21 years old).

Best Bowling Performances

Best Test innings figures: 7/87 vs Australia (1999-2000).
Best Test match figures: 12/149 – Third-best by a New Zealander ever.
20 five-wicket hauls in Tests, including three 10-wicket matches.
Two five-wicket hauls in ODIs.

Awards and Recognitions

Named in ICC World ODI XI (2005, 2008, 2010).
Part of the 2015 World Cup Team of the Tournament.

Batting Coach – Michael Di Venuto

Michael James Di Venuto (born 12 December 1973) is a former Australian cricketer and a well-known cricket coach.

He played for Australia in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and also represented Italy in cricket.

Most of his playing career was with the Tasmanian Tigers in Australia.

After retiring from Australian cricket, he played for Durham County Cricket Club in England before finally retiring in 2012.

He was a left-handed opening batsman and was known for his strong performances in domestic cricket.

However, playing for the Australian national team at that time was tough because the team was full of legendary players.

Despite his talent, he only got to play 9 ODIs for Australia.

Playing Career

Early Days in Tasmania

Di Venuto started his career with the Tasmanian Tigers and became one of their most reliable batsmen.

During the mid-1990s, his consistent performances earned him a call-up to the Australian ODI team.

Playing for Australia

Made his ODI debut for Australia but only played 9 matches.
Played at a time when Australia had world-class players like Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Matthew Hayden, making it hard to get a permanent spot.
Despite limited international chances, he remained a strong player in domestic cricket.

County Cricket in England

After his time in Australia, Di Venuto moved to England and played for:

Derbyshire
Sussex
Durham (where he played until his retirement in 2012)

His experience in English cricket helped him understand different playing conditions, which later helped him in coaching.

Coaching Career

Becoming Australia’s Batting Coach (2013)

After retiring as a player, Di Venuto turned to coaching.

In 2013, he was appointed as the batting coach for the Australian national team under head coach Mickey Arthur.

His job was to help batsmen improve their techniques and performances.

Acting Senior Coach for Australia (2016)

In January 2016, the then-head coach Darren Lehmann fell ill, and Di Venuto was given the responsibility of being the senior coach for Australia’s T20 series against India.

This was a big moment in his coaching career.

Head Coach of Surrey (2016-2020)

In February 2016, Di Venuto became the head coach of Surrey County Cricket Club in England.

Under his coaching:

Surrey won the County Championship in 2018 (their first title since 2002).
He helped develop young talents and improved the team’s performance.
His success at Surrey made him a respected name in coaching.

Return to Australian Cricket (2021)

In July 2021, Di Venuto returned to the Australian men’s cricket team as an assistant coach, working alongside Jeff Vaughan.

His experience and knowledge of the game made him a valuable addition to the coaching staff.

Bowling Coach – Adam Griffith

Adam Richard Griffith, also known as ‘Eddy,’ is a former Australian cricket player who later became a well-known coach.

Born on 11th February 1978, he played first-class cricket for Tasmania and even had a short stint with Leicestershire in England.

After retiring as a player, he took up coaching and is now one of the respected names in cricket coaching.

Griffith started his cricket journey playing for local clubs like South Launceston Cricket Club and North Hobart Cricket Club.

His hard work and talent helped him move up the ranks and represent Tasmania at the highest level.

Adam Griffith’s Playing Career

Success with Tasmania

Adam Griffith was a key player for Tasmania between 2002 and 2010.

He was part of the team when they won their first-ever Sheffield Shield in the 2006-07 season.

This was a huge achievement for Tasmania, and Griffith played a big role in it.

He took 158 first-class wickets for Tasmania.
At the time of his retirement, he was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Tasmania’s history.
He also played for Australia A in limited-overs cricket.

Playing in England

Griffith also got a chance to play in England for Leicestershire.

Playing in different conditions helped him improve his skills and gain experience.

Retirement Due to Injuries

Unfortunately, injuries started affecting his performance.

At the age of 33, in May 2011, he decided to retire from professional cricket.

Adam Griffith’s Coaching Career

Starting as a Bowling Coach

Right after retiring, Griffith moved into coaching.

His first big role was as the bowling coach for Western Warriors under Mickey Arthur.

When Mickey Arthur became the coach of the Australia cricket team, Griffith was promoted to Western Australia’s assistant coach.
His knowledge of fast bowling made him a valuable coach.

Becoming the Australian Bowling Coach

On 15th April 2016, Griffith was named the Australian bowling coach.

This was a huge achievement for him.

He had previously worked with Justin Langer at Western Warriors and Perth Scorchers.
He got this role after Craig McDermott stepped down after the World T20.

Head Coach of Tasmania

On 27th April 2017, Griffith was appointed as the head coach of Tasmania.

This was a proud moment for him as he had played for Tasmania before.

Coaching in the IPL

Since 2020, Griffith has been working as the fast bowling coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

His experience has helped many young bowlers improve their skills.

Fielding Coach – Matthew Wade

Matthew Scott Wade was born on 26 December 1987 in Hobart, Tasmania.

From a young age, he loved cricket and worked hard to become one of Australia’s best wicketkeeper-batsmen.

He made his international debut in 2011 and quickly became known for his aggressive batting and sharp wicketkeeping skills.

Over the years, he played in all three formats of the game—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

Key Facts About Matthew Wade

Born: 26 December 1987
Role: Wicketkeeper-Batsman
Teams: Australia, Tasmania, Hobart Hurricanes
Captaincy: Led Australia in T20Is in 2020
Retirement: Left red-ball cricket in March 2024

Matthew Wade’s Cricket Career

1. Domestic Cricket Success

Before playing for Australia, Wade proved himself in domestic cricket.

He played for Tasmania and later became their captain.

His leadership helped the team win many important matches.

He was also a star player in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Hobart Hurricanes.

His explosive batting made him a fan favorite.

2. International Career

Wade made his Test debut in 2012 against the West Indies.

Though he was in and out of the team, he always gave his best.

In limited-overs cricket, he was more consistent.

His ability to score quick runs in pressure situations made him a valuable player for Australia.

3. Captaincy Role

In December 2020, Wade got a big opportunity—he was named captain of the Australian T20 team for a series against India.

This showed how much trust the Australia cricket team coach and selectors had in him.

Though he didn’t captain often, his leadership was praised by teammates and experts.

Matthew Wade’s Role in Australia’s T20 World Cup Win (2021)

One of the biggest moments in Wade’s career came during the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Australia had never won this tournament before, but Wade played a crucial role in changing that.

Key Performances in the World Cup

Semifinal vs Pakistan: Wade scored a *quickfire 41 off just 17 balls**, including three sixes in one over, to take Australia to the final.
Final vs New Zealand: Though he didn’t score big, his presence as a finisher helped Australia chase the target and lift the trophy.

This victory was a dream come true for Wade and the entire team.

The Australia cricket team coach at that time, Justin Langer, praised Wade for his fearless batting.

Australia Cricket Team Coach, Salary, Record, Coaching Staff