Under Aberhart, they pulled off a first-ever series win in the West Indies, home Test and one-day victories over India and a drawn Test series in Australia.
New Zealand officials are convinced he is the right man to take the team forward and unlike Aberhart, he can draw on the experience of playing at international level.
Aberhart was one of the less-fancied names who entered the race for the coaching job after Trist announced his intention to step down at the end of August last year.