 "Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh. Image: Screengrab")
Former India seamer Dodda Ganesh has been appointed the new Kenya cricket team head coach on a one-year contract. Ganesh, a right-arm pacer, played four Test matches and an ODI for the Indian team and took five wickets.
“Privileged to be named the head coach of the Kenya cricket team,” Ganesh posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“My first vision is to qualify for the World Cup,” Ganesh was quoted as saying by Nami Nation, after being unveiled at the Sikh Union Club.
Kenya have played in four ODI World Cups in their history - 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2011 - and a T20 World Cup (2007). Their best performance at the global level came in 2003 when they reached the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup.
“Kenya participated in the World Cup in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. I saw the dedication and the hard work. I don’t know what happened between the 10 years to now, but I do not want to talk about history. Positively what I see is that Kenyans are champions,” Ganesh said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsGanesh played for Karnataka at the domestic level and took 365 wickets in 104 first-class matches at an average of 29.42 including 20 fifers. He also played 89 List A games and took 128 wickets at an average of 27.11.
Kenya’s next order of business will be the ICC World Cup Challenge League in September. The tournament will also feature the likes of Papua New Guinea, Denmark, Kuwait, Jersey and Qatar.
“I’m a professional coach and before coming here, I went to YouTube to watch the bowlers and batsmen, and I can say that they are in good shape,” the 51-year-old said of his assignment.