Former India captain and former BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly, is the most common name that has been tipped to be a contender for the role of head coach of the Indian cricket team. He is currently enjoying his first tournament as head coach with Pretoria Capitals in the SA20.
The former rivals, who were enemies on the cricket field, have become friends after retiring from international cricket and turning to coaching in their careers. Currently, in the national setups, former NZ star Brendon McCullum coaches England alongside Marcus Trescothick, and Gautam Gambhir coaches alongside former South African fast bowler Morne Morkel.
In franchise cricket, such events are marked more commonly, as players from different parts of the world come under one roof to lead franchise teams in globally renowned leagues.
Sourav Ganguly’s debut as head coach ends with massive success with Pretoria Capitals
Sourav Ganguly was appointed head coach of Pretoria Capitals. Ganguly, who has been associated with the Capitals franchise for a long time, has worked as the Director of Cricket with Delhi Capitals in the IPL, but he has never played any role as the head coach of the team.
His debut as head coach of a franchise was excellent for both the coach and the team, as Pretoria Capitals managed to qualify for the SA20 finals with a win over two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
No Capitals franchise has ever managed to win the trophy and this is the first time that Sourav Ganguly is also this close to the trophy with the Capitals. If BCCI thinks of moving on from Gautam Gambhir then it is a big opportunity for the veteran to prove his worth as a head coach and stake a claim for the head coach’s role with India.
Shaun Pollock on Sourav Ganguly: “We laugh, we cry. We share our emotions.”
As stated earlier, in a reference to former rivals turning friends, former Indian batsman Sourav Ganguly and South African fast bowler Shaun Pollock have taken up the role as coaches for the Pretoria Capitals.
Speaking about the relationship between himself and former rival turned Capitals head coach Sourav Ganguly, Pollock said:
“We laugh, we cry. We share our emotions. It’s good to work with a group of amazing people. We’ve tried to be as consistent as possible. You must also understand that we’re over 50, and for us it’s about trying to help, but you’ve got to support your players, you’ve got to believe in the players and trust them. That’s probably the hardest part for us,” Shaun Pollock told NDTV in a select media interaction. Told to. PC wins in Durban.
“The only good thing is that we’re there, and now we’ve got an opportunity” – Pretoria Capitals assistant coach
The Capitals reached the final by defeating powerful Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who had played in three consecutive finals in the SA20, but Pollock sees it as just another win, as he sees it as something they want to look forward to.
“They’re a quality unit. They understand the game; they play very well in their conditions. So yeah, we’re not reading too much into it. Most of these guys weren’t involved the first season, so we’re not reading too much into it.
“The only good thing is that we’re there, and now we’ve got a chance. We’ll just wait to see who we play,” Pollock said, showing the clear intent and intense focus within the Pretoria Capitals to win this year’s SA20 title.
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