Former Indian pacer Dodda Ganesh named as head coach of this international team
Published - 14 Aug 2024, 01:33 PM | Updated - 24 Aug 2024, 08:00 AM
Former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh was appointed as the head coach of the Kenya national cricket team on Tuesday, August 13.
Dodda Ganesh confirmed his appointment as head coach of the Kenya team on his official social media account, adding that he is "privileged to lead the team."
Dodda Ganesh made his international debut for India in a Test match against South Africa in January 1997. He played four Test matches in his career, taking 5 wickets at an average of 57.4.
He also played one ODI match for India. He last played for India in a Test match against the West Indies in April 1997.
The now 51-year-old was a standout performer for Karnataka in India's domestic cricket. The former right-arm pace bowler claimed 365 wickets in 104 First-Class matches and 128 wickets in 89 List A games. Ganesh brings extensive coaching experience and aims to revitalize Kenya's cricketing landscape.
Privileged To Be Named The Head Coach - Dodda Ganesh
Dodda Ganesh was announced as the new head coach of the Kenya cricket team at the Sikh Union Club on Tuesday, August 13. Ganesh shared the news on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) as he wrote, “Privileged to be named the head coach of the Kenya cricket team.”
Privileged to be named the head coach of the Kenya cricket team. https://t.co/SHVUFFjzrL
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) August 14, 2024
Dodda Ganesh has replaced Lameck Onyango as Kenya's head coach. Ganesh will be supported by Onyango, Joseph Angara, and Joseph Asichi. His first few assignments as the head coach of the Kenya team will be the ICC Division 2 Challenge League in September and the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers in October.
My First Vision Is To Qualify For The World Cup - Dodda Ganesh
After being appointed as Kenya's head coach by CEO Ronald Bukusi, Dodda Ganesh said that his primary goal is qualifying for the World Cup. Ganesh added that he was impressed by the team's performance in matches he watched on YouTube.
"My first vision is to qualify for the World Cup. I've seen the dedication and hard work among the players. I'm not interested in the past, but I firmly believe that Kenyans possess the spirit of champions. I've been watching Kenyan cricket matches on YouTube, and I'm impressed with the talent I see. It's evident that the players are in good shape," Ganesh said (via 777 score).
Kenya played in five consecutive ODI World Cups from 1996 to 2011. The team advanced to the semi-finals in the 2003 edition but lost to Team India. They also played in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. The Kenyan team also participated in three editions of the Champions Trophy between 2000 and 2004.
Kenya lost their ODI status after failing to qualify in the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The ICC Division 2 Challenge League aims to help Kenya return to the ODI World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in 2027.
