Big Bash Shake-Up: Ronchi to Renegades, White Takes Over Stars

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-07-17

The Big Bash League just got a major coaching overhaul. Luke Ronchi is taking the helm at the Melbourne Renegades, replacing Cameron White, who's moving across town to lead the Melbourne Stars. Peter Moores will stay with the Stars but shift into a director of coaching role for the upcoming season. Ronchi, 45, is stepping down from his six-year stint as New Zealand's men's batting coach. He's coming off a strong campaign with Islamabad United in the PSL, where his team nearly made the final. He'll keep working with New Zealand until their India tour wraps up in December, but he's already deep into planning the Renegades' coaching staff alongside high performance manager Clint McKay, who'll double as bowling coach. Two more assistant coaches are still to be hired. ### Renegades Rebuild Under New Coaching Structure Ronchi's appointment comes after months of chaos at the two Melbourne franchises. Cricket Victoria, which now runs the Stars exclusively, moved former Renegades general manager James Rosengarten and former head of cricket Wade Seccombe into similar roles at the Stars. This all followed a failed attempt by Cricket Australia to bring in private investment. The plan would have rebranded the Stars under Victoria's colors while selling the Renegades to a private buyer. It collapsed after several states and the Australian Cricketers' Association rejected it. That left the Renegades without an administration for a while, run by just two staff members: general manager Max Abbott and McKay. They rebuilt the club's operations from scratch. Abbott and McKay consulted vice-captain Will Sutherland before interviewing Ronchi, former Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd, and current Durham coach Ryan Campbell for the head coach role. They chose Ronchi to bring fresh energy to a playing group that's faced repeated upheaval. > "Luke stood out with his clear vision for how he wants our team to play and his ability to build strong relationships," McKay said. New Zealand captain Tom Latham also credited Ronchi's coaching for improving several players during his time with the national side. ### Playing Career Spans Australia and New Zealand Ronchi played for the Perth Scorchers in the first season of the BBL after a long career with Western Australia. He represented Australia in four ODIs and three T20Is. Later, he returned to New Zealand, the country of his birth, and played four Tests, 81 ODIs, and 29 T20Is for the Black Caps. He also featured in franchise leagues around the world, including the IPL, PSL, CPL, the Blast, and the Super Smash. ### White Takes Over at Stars Alongside Moores White moves to the Stars after two seasons at the Renegades, where the team finished sixth and seventh. He previously led the San Francisco Unicorns, also run by Cricket Victoria, to the Major League Cricket playoffs. At the Stars, he'll work under Moores, who coached the team for the past two seasons and now shifts into a director of coaching position. Rosengarten said the club now has multiple high-caliber coaches working within its BBL program, adding that White brings strong tactical experience and a heavy work rate to the role. Both clubs are also searching for new WBBL coaches. Simon Helmot has left the Renegades for Gulf Giants in the ILT20, while Stars assistant Andy Christie is expected to step into a larger role this season. This coaching shake-up could reshape the entire BBL landscape. With Ronchi's fresh approach and White's tactical mind, the Melbourne derby just got a whole lot more interesting.