Gary Ballance to join Zimbabwe coaching staff ahead of England Test

Former England and Zimbabwe international Gary Ballance has been appointed as a coaching consultant for Zimbabwe's upcoming one-off Test against England at Trent Bridge, starting May 22, 2025. This marks Zimbabwe's first Test match in England since 2003. Born in Harare, Ballance brings a wealth of experience to the Zimbabwean coaching staff. He played 23 Tests for England between 2014 and 2017, becoming the third-fastest England player to reach 1,000 Test runs—a record now equaled by Harry Brook. After a hiatus from international cricket, Ballance switched allegiance to Zimbabwe, making a memorable debut in 2023 by scoring an unbeaten 137 against the West Indies. This feat made him only the second player, after Kepler Wessels, to score Test centuries for two different countries. Zimbabwe Cricket's managing director, Givemore Makoni, expressed enthusiasm about Ballance's appointment, stating, "His deep understanding of English conditions, gained over years of playing at the highest level, will be a valuable asset to our team's tactical preparation." Ahead of the Test, Zimbabwe will play a warm-up match against a First-Class County XI in Leicester. Following the England Test, they are scheduled to face South Africa in a four-day fixture at Arundel from June 3-6, as part of South Africa's preparation for the World Test Championship final against Australia.