Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley has declared that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of the current home summer of 2024-25. The news has marked the potential end of the veteran’s five-year tenure at the helm of their cricket, a period where they made significant achievements and strategic reforms both in the board and in the field.
The current reports of the Sydney Morning Herald have claimed that the departure of the Cricket Australia CEO has come on the back of discussions with their chairman, Mike Baird, and the other directors, who indicated that he wasn’t seen as a long-term option for the organization. They offered Nick to leave on amicable terms.
They are going to start their men’s home summer with the three-match ODI and T20I series against Pakistan before the bumper five-match Test series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India. Later, they will travel to Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series. Hockley will remain in his current position for the highly anticipated 2024-25 season.
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“This was a difficult decision. However, following what promises to be a blockbuster summer and with our five-year strategic plan well progressed, this is the right time to pursue another challenge while giving the board plenty of time to find its next CEO to build on the strong foundations now in place.” Hockley expressed in a statement following the announcement.
This means for the upcoming home Ashes in 2025-26 against the Ben Stokes-led side, Cricket Australia will be under a new CEO, who will aim to build a strong structure for the game.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley to resign in March 2025
The Indian series is going to start in nearly four weeks. The veteran emphasized that the current focus remains on ensuring a smooth transition and supporting the board’s succession process.
“This is not the time for goodbyes, as I remain completely focused on the season ahead and supporting the board on succession and a smooth transition.” He stated.
One of the instrumental projects for him was guiding Australia through the challenging periods of the COVID-19 pandemic and reshaping the strategic decisions of the game. His tenure included overseeing Australia’s men’s and women’s teams, winning some major international titles.
The men’s side, under the captaincy of Aaron Finch, won the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates before the 2023 saw the Pat Cummins-led side drilling the Indian team for the World Test Championship (WTC) trophy and the 2023 ODI World Cup. They also retained the Men’s Ashes urn at home with a 4-0 margin before drawing the away series in 2023.
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The women’s side under Alyssa Healy won the 2020 and 2022 T20 World Cup, the first of them being at home against India and the second one in South Africa. However, there have been tough times. They lost the BGT 2020/21 for the second consecutive time at home, and besides women’s team failed to win the semifinal of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Cricket Australia is expected to launch a thorough search for Nick Hockley, with several names have been in the mix. James Allsopp, the CA’s current Head of the game, is the front runner, with Stephaine Beltrame, the former CA Head of Broadcast and Commercial, being in the race along with the former women’s captain Belinda Clark and the Cricket Australia’s Association CEO Todd Greenberg.