Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will mark his coaching debut in the fourth edition of the SA20. Pretoria Capitals have named him the head coach of the franchise, after a stint with Delhi in the Indian Premier League. He was part of the SA20 auction as well, where Pretoria made some blockbuster signings in Dewald Brevis, Lungi Ngidi and Criag Overton, among others. Previously, they signed Andre Russell and Will Jacks, among others, in pre-draft signings as well.
In the meantime, ahead of Ganguly’s first assignment as coach, former cricketer Allan Donald noted that he will be feeling the pressure at the Supersport Park, but expects him to come up with a great plan. He also noted that the Capitals will receive plenty of support in the forthcoming season.
“They're up there in Pretoria at Supersport Park. They've got one of the most well-supported grounds. There's no question about it. I think the people of Pretoria are expecting and expecting a lot. So, the pressure will be on Sourav for sure. But knowing him, he will come with a great plan,” Donald told select Indian media during an interaction facilitated by SA20.
Donald remembers working with Ganguly
Donald worked with Ganguly in Pune Warriors India in the IPL. Speaking about his experience, the former Proteas pacer noted that Ganguly is calm, and even though replacing Jonathan Trott won’t be an easy task, but expects him to succeed, as he brings plenty of experience.
“He strikes me as an extremely calm guy, from his captaincy way back. It's (coaching) a difficult one for everyone. Jonathan Trott was there very briefly and now Sourav is the man in charge. But I just think he'll bring plenty of experience. He's been around the game for a very, very long time, not necessarily as a coach. He's been doing some mentor work with Delhi Capital. So, I think a few players who have been there could have a head start of knowing what he is about.
“You know, there's not a heck of a lot of coaching or over-coaching going on. So, you really just manage players extremely well and pick the right combinations for your home games and your away games,” Donald said.