Former Zimbabwe opening batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri will take charge of the Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team during their tour of Bangladesh at the end of the month.
Zimbabwe, who are set to face Bangladesh in a five-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series beginning on May 3, are currently without a substantive head coach following the resignation of Dave Houghton.
With Zimbabwe Cricket only set to announce a substantive coach for the Chevrons next month, Matsikenyeri will lead the side on an interim basis in Bangladesh.
The 40-year-old Matsikenyeri, who made 131 appearances for Zimbabwe across all three formats as a player, has previously served as assistant coach and batting coach.
“We are taking our time to do the selection process so that we get the right candidate,” said Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director Givemore Makoni.
“So for the Bangladesh tour, we are covered as we have an interim set up right now where Stuart (Matsikenyeri) is heading the coaching department,” he said.
Makoni revealed they had received massive responses for the Chevrons job.
“I must say we’ve had an overwhelming response; we’ve had quite a number of big names applying.
“I cannot pre-empt in terms of who applied, but we’ve had a good response from a number of coaches worldwide,” said Makoni.
He added that a substantive national team coach will be appointed next month.
“We will obviously look at maybe the second week of May (appointment of the coaches), or maybe three weeks into May.
“I am sure that we will have a head coach before the India tour, which is scheduled for July,” said Makoni.