Former batsman Luke Ronchi appointed as Blackcaps batting coach

He replaced Peter Fulton who stepped down from the role in July this year to take up Canterbury's head coach duties.

Ronchi was born in New Zealand but first played international cricket for Australia, appearing in four one-day and three T20Is in 2008. He returned to New Zealand and played 4 Tests, 81 ODIs and 30 T20Is between 2013 and 2017, when he retired from international cricket.

The 39-year-old, who was part of the New Zealand coaching staff at last year’s ICC World Cup in England, will get started with his job with the men's team in two weeks' time.

"I'm absolutely pumped. I've really enjoyed being back with the team in recent seasons and it's exciting to be given the opportunity full-time this summer.

Getting the chance to continue working with our batsmen is a great honour and I'm looking forward to seeing how I can help improve their games and best prepare them to perform at the highest level,' Ronchi said.

"It'll be great to sit down with Gary and the other coaches to begin planning for what will be a busy summer with four touring teams who will all bring different challenges," he added.

Since retiring from international cricket in 2017, Ronchi has been involved with Cricket Wellington's development programmes, and was also a player-coach with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League earlier this year.