Former New Zealand star all-rounder Jacob Oram has joined the New Zealand men’s national cricket team as a bowling coach. 

Shane Jurgensen was the previous official bowling coach of the New Zealand men’s national cricket team. He left the team after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. 

The 46-year-old Jacob Oram will join the New Zealand men’s national cricket team as a bowling coach on October 7. Previously, Oram had supported the team as a bowling coach during last year’s Bangladesh tour, the home T20I series against Australia last February, and the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.

New Zealand drew the Test series in the Bangladesh tour by 1-1. Meanwhile, the Blackcaps recorded a 3-0 series defeat against the visitors Australia. On the other hand, New Zealand were eliminated from the group stage in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. 

New Zealand are getting ready for their upcoming Asia tour. After playing only one Test against Afghanistan in India, starting on September 9, New Zealand will play a two-match Test series against the hosts Sri Lanka, beginning on September 18.   

SEE ALSO: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test series opener scheduled with a rest day

From mid-October to early November, New Zealand will play a three-match Test series in India. 

Later, New Zealand will again travel to Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI and a three-match T20I series. 

I’m really excited to have the opportunity to be involved with the BLACKCAPS again: Jacob Oram

Oram is excited to work with the Blackcaps once again. 

Oram officially stated, “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to be involved with the BLACKCAPS again. To be back involved with a team that means so much to me and has been a big part of my life is a real honour. The recent opportunities I’ve had have been a great insight into where this team is going and I’m excited to continue that work in the coming seasons.

“There’s a fresh new wave of talent coming through in the BLACKCAPS bowling ranks and I hope that I can share my knowledge and experience to help best prepare them for the challenges of international cricket.”

New Zealand men’s head coach Gary Stead is also excited to work again with Oram. 

Jacob Oram's career details

From 2001 to 2012, Oram played 33 Tests, 160 ODIs, and 36 T20Is. Apart from scoring 4688 international runs, he also took 252 international wickets. 

Oram started his coaching career in 2014 when he became the bowling coach of New Zealand A. Later, from 2018 to 2022, he was the bowling coach of the New Zealand Women’s cricket team, including supporting the team in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022. 

Oram was also the head coach of the Super Smash team Central Hinds, the assistant coach of the T10 league team Northern Warriors, and the bowling coach of the SA20 team MI Cape Town.