Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain and BCCI chief, has explained his decision to return to the dugout as the head coach of the Pretoria Capitals for the SA20 league. Ganguly's appointment with the Pretoria Capitals marks his first coaching role. He takes over from Jonathan Trott, who stepped down from the position. The franchise announced Ganguly's appointment on Instagram, expressing their excitement.
Speaking at 'SA20 India Day', Ganguly explained that his involvement with the Pretoria Capitals followed discussions with Parth Jindal, co-owner of Delhi Capitals. He had been overseeing all Delhi Capitals franchises and involved in team building, but his role as BCCI president limited his time in the dugout.
"My involvement with the Pretoria Capitals came after discussions with Parth Jindal, co-owner of Delhi Capitals. While I've overseen all DC franchises and was involved in team building previously, my BCCI presidency limited dugout time," Ganguly said.
Having worked closely with Jindal since 2018 and being heavily involved in this year's SA20 auction, Ganguly decided to dedicate his full attention to the Pretoria Capitals. He emphasized the importance of hands-on involvement in sports and committed to dedicating a full month to the team before transitioning to his IPL duties. "I decided to dedicate full attention to Pretoria Capitals. Sport requires hands-on involvement, so I'm committing one full month before transitioning to IPL duties,” Ganguly stated.
Ganguly also highlighted the significance of domestic players, emphasizing the importance of selecting talent from the grassroots level. He noted that quality domestic players hold tremendous value across all tournaments. While acknowledging Aiden Markram's attraction of significant interest, Ganguly expressed excitement about securing Dewald Brevis long-term, given his outstanding T20 performances for South Africa.
"Quality domestic players hold tremendous value across all tournaments," Ganguly said. "While Aiden Markram attracted significant interest, we're particularly excited about securing Dewald Brevis long-term, given his outstanding T20 performances for South Africa".
The Pretoria Capitals' strategy heavily focuses on domestic talent, including batsmen like Brevis and bowlers such as Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, and Keshav Maharaj. Ganguly observed that every franchise prioritized local players, which strengthens the league's competitiveness. He mentioned Aiden Markram at Durban's Super Giants, Faf du Plessis in Joburg Super Kings, David Miller at Paarl Royals, and Ryan Rickelton with MI Cape Town as examples.
The SA20 India Day event in Mumbai featured strategic discussions with franchise leaders. Ganguly emphasized hands-on team involvement, while Tom Moody, Director of Cricket for Durban's Super Giants, shared his vision for creating a lasting legacy.
