Gary Ballance Joins Zimbabwe Coaching Staff for England Tour
Gary Ballance, former England and Zimbabwe cricketer, joins Zimbabwe's coaching staff for their Test match against England at Trent Bridge. Having played for both nations, he brings valuable experience to the team. This appointment marks his return to England as a coaching consultant after retiring in 2023.
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Former England and Zimbabwe cricketer, Gary Ballance, has been appointed as a coaching consultant for Zimbabwe's upcoming tour of England, according to ESPN Cricinfo. The solitary Test match is scheduled to take place at Trent Bridge, commencing on May 22.
Ballance made an impactful debut during the 2013-14 Ashes tour with England, quickly becoming the third-fastest to reach 1,000 Test runs. Despite his promising start, his performance waned, and his last representation for England was in 2017. He later chose to represent Zimbabwe, contributing significantly in all formats before retiring in 2023.
The ex-cricketer played 23 Tests for England and made history by becoming only the second player to score Test hundreds for two different countries. This rarity was previously achieved by Keppler Wessels of South Africa and Australia.
As a 35-year-old, Ballance decided to end his international playing career earlier this year. His inclusion in the Zimbabwean team follows their encouraging performance against Bangladesh. Zimbabwe Cricket's managing director, Givemore Makoni, expressed delight in welcoming Ballance, highlighting his expertise in English conditions as a key asset for the team.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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