New Zealand Cricket has also got a new selection manager, Gavin Larsen, who has been assigned the role beginning November 3, 2025, replacing Sam Wells. Larsen has worked with the Warwickshire County Cricket Club and the Nelson Giants basketball team, and now he will team with head coach Rob Walter to select players for the Blackcaps and the development squads.
According to Cricbuzz, his reentry is supposed to add experience and stability to New Zealand, which is in transition.
Larsen’s Comeback: A Return to the Selection Room
New Zealand Cricket has called upon an old and trusted face in the form of Gavin Larsen, who is the new selection manager. He takes over Sam Wells and will be on duty officially starting November 3, 2025.
This is a full-circle experience of the former pacer who once occupied the same post between 2015 and 2023. Throughout that period, he also contributed towards building a robust and stable Blackcaps team that would break major finals of the ICC and gain international recognition due to its discipline and cooperation.
Gavin did not leave sports behind after stepping down. He has joined the Warwickshire County Cricket Club as their Performance Director, which has provided him with lots of international experience and insight into management.
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From Basketball to Cricket: Larsen’s unusual career
He also accepted a position beyond cricket where he served with the Nelson Giants basketball team. That short break from cricket seems to have given him a fresh perspective, something Cricket New Zealand highlighted in its official announcement.
Now back in his old position, Larsen will work closely with head coach Rob Walter to select teams for the Blackcaps, New Zealand A, and New Zealand XI. Decision-making will be the same, with Walter making the ultimate decision concerning the choices. Larsen will advise and plan, and aid in creating balance within the squads.
Welcome back, Gav!
Gavin Larsen has been appointed BLACKCAPS selection manager, filling the role left by the departing Sam Wells.https://t.co/s1aE5MT1vJ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 16, 2025
Reaction from the NZC Officials :
NZC Chief High Performance Officer Daryl Gibson says that his understanding of the modern game of cricket, his leadership abilities, and his ability to communicate with clarity made Larsen the best person to fill the job. Gibson also mentioned that Larsen’s knowledge of both domestic and international cricket will help him guide younger players as they prepare for the next level of competition.
His return could not have come at a better time. New Zealand Cricket is going through a new era, as aging players are going out of their careers and young talents are emerging. The experience and a steady hand of a person such as Larsen would be crucial in ensuring that the team stays grounded. The fans are optimistic that the second time around will provide the same level of calmness, consistency, and trust that he was regarded as having when he was in earlier years playing at the club.
Amit Mishra’s Take
As soon as I heard the news about this decision, it immediately crossed my mind that it was a clever and well-timed step taken by New Zealand Cricket. The game is changing very fast, so introducing someone who has already been through the system is a source of stability and confidence.
Gavin Larsen has witnessed how the team has risen from being a competitive team to being one of the most respected teams in the world of cricket. His experiences with Warwickshire also provide him with a wider perspective of the functioning of various systems in the sport of cricket, which will reinforce his strategies.
The timing of this move is even more logical. The Blackcaps are at the rebuilding stage, where old players are being replaced by new ones. Larsen can assist the team in this transition by utilizing his level-headedness and talent-spotting skills. He does not have to reinvent the system; he only has to optimize what has already been known to work.
New Zealand appears to have made the right decision in appointing the right man to lead the next phase of the journey with his honesty, patience, and keen cricketing judgment.
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