"It will be a challenge but one that I'm ready for and excited about," Sammy said in a CWI statement. "I'm really looking forward to the opportunity, especially looking at the players we have and the impact that I believe I can have in the dressing room. I believe I will bring the same approach as I had as a player: the passion, the desire for success, and my undying love for West Indies cricket.
"When I look around there is an abundance of talent, and what I saw in South Africa in the white-ball matches under new captains Shai Hope and Rovman Powell and the leadership provided by Andre Coley, there is great belief that we can do well. I'm looking forward to imparting my knowledge, my tactical acumen, my communication skills and my man-management skills. I get excited about putting the plans together and seeing the players execute them."
Sammy has coaching experience in the CPL and the PSL, but this will be his first assignment in international cricket. While Sammy is not a certified coach, Shallow pointed out that he fulfilled all the criteria necessary for a coaching role. "There's a different set of criteria that you know don't necessarily need to be a Level 3 [coach]," Shallow said. "It's ideal, but when we go through the different assessments, he certainly qualified to be the head coach, which is why he was shortlisted in the first place and then he was interviewed by a panel of five."
As for Coley, his first assignment will be the two-match home Test series against India in July. "I am looking forward to the challenges ahead, as well as the opportunities as we sharpen our focus on moving up the Test rankings, and qualifying for the World Test Championship final in June 2025," Coley said. "I also look forward to working with all our stakeholders, deepening relationships and fostering a high-performance mindset.
"I am also excited to be working closely with the 'A' team as we seek to optimise opportunities for teams to play competitive cricket outside of our first-class competition and giving players greater exposure to different conditions at the international level. I believe that my expertise in the use of analytics, my leadership style and technical knowledge along with collaborative efforts alongside Daren, will make a positive contribution to player development and team performances."