Zimbabwe played its first ODI in 1983 and won Test status in 1992. The national side has had a mix of local and overseas coaches/managers over the years a handful of whom (Dave Houghton, Heath Streak, Lalchand Rajput, Dav Whatmore, Geoff Marsh and others) steered the team through landmark moments (the late-1990s World Cup run, rebuilding phases, and recent restructures). Below is a compact, source-checked version modeled on your India draft.
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List of Zimbabwe national cricket team coaches Full list (selected / documented head coaches)
John Hampshire (1992)
Englishman John “Jack” Hampshire was the coach when Zimbabwe played their first Test (vs India, Oct 1992). Hampshire, a former England batter and later umpire, was involved in Zimbabwe’s earliest Test era as coach for that maiden fixture.
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David “Dave” Houghton (late-1990s; 2022 – Dec 2023)
Dave Houghton Zimbabwe’s first Test captain and one of the country’s batting greats coached Zimbabwe during their golden late-1990s period (the team reached the Super Sixes in the 1999 World Cup under his time in charge) and returned to take over as head coach in June 2022. Houghton’s second spell lasted until December 2023, when he resigned following a disappointing qualification campaign for the T20 World Cup.
Carl Rackemann (2000 – 2001)
Former Australian fast bowler Carl Rackemann had a short stint as Zimbabwe’s head coach around 2000 – 2001, part of a period when ZC experimented with overseas coaches to steady the side.
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Geoff Marsh (2001 – 2004)
Geoff Marsh, former Australian opener and World Cup-winning coach, served as Zimbabwe’s head coach from 2001 to 2004. Marsh’s appointment brought experience from top-level coaching, and he led Zimbabwe through a rebuilding era in the early 2000s.
Phil Simmons (2004 – 2005)
The West Indian coach Phil Simmons succeeded Marsh for a period in the mid-2000s, bringing his all-rounder pedigree and coaching résumé to Harare for the 2004 – 05 window.
Kevin Curran (Aug 2005 – Sep 2007)
Kevin Curran, a former Zimbabwe all-rounder was appointed head coach in August 2005 and served until September 2007. His tenure was turbulent on results and off-field relations; the side struggled through results and contract/player tensions before he left the role.
Robin Brown (Aug 2007 – Aug 2008)
Robin Brown, a former Zimbabwe batter and long-time coach/assistant within the system, took over in August 2007 (after Curran) and served roughly a year as head coach; he was later replaced as ZC restructured coaching roles.
Dav Whatmore (Dec 2014 – May 2016)
Davenell “Dav” Whatmore, World Cup winning coach with Sri Lanka (1996) and an experienced international coach was appointed by Zimbabwe Cricket on 30 December 2014. His stint lasted until 31 May 2016, when he was sacked after poor team results, prompting a short period of interim coaching.
Makhaya Ntini (interim, Jun – Oct 2016)
Former South African pace great Makhaya Ntini was on ZC’s staff as assistant coach and stepped in as interim head coach when Whatmore was dismissed in mid-2016. He served in the caretaker role for the India series and a short run of home fixtures before the board appointed a permanent head coach.
Heath Streak (Oct 2016 – early 2018)
Heath Streak, Zimbabwe’s leading fast bowler and former captain, was appointed head coach in October 2016. Streak led the team through a difficult qualification phase but resigned/was relieved after Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup (and the board later made wholesale changes). Streak’s tenure and later integrity issues were widely reported.
Lalchand Rajput (2018 – Jun 2022)
Lalchand Rajput (India) served as head coach/technical director for extended periods from 2018 and was the head coach before the June 2022 reshuffle that brought Dave Houghton back; Rajput moved into technical director / development roles during that reshuffle.
Justin Sammons (appointed Jun 19 – 20, 2024 present)
In June 2024 Zimbabwe Cricket appointed South African coach Justin Sammons as head coach of the senior men’s team; Sammons previously worked in South Africa’s high-performance and national set-ups and was brought in to lead a new cycle. He took charge ahead of the July 2024 white-ball fixtures and the home series vs India in July 2024.
