‘I decided to dedicate full attention’: Pretoria Capitals coach Sourav Ganguly explains his return to dugout

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will return to the dugout as coach of the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. The ex-BCCI president revealed why he decided to take full-time coaching during ‘SA20 India Day’. Durban’s Super Giants Director of Cricket Tom Moody spoke about his new role.

Ganguly explains his return to franchise cricket:

“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. Having worked closely with Parth since 2018 and being heavily involved in this year’s SA20 auction, 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.”

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On the importance of domestic players:

“Quality domestic players hold tremendous value across all tournaments. While Aiden Markram attracted significant interest, we’re particularly excited about securing Dewald Brevis long-term, given his outstanding T20 performances for South Africa. Our strategy focused heavily on domestic talent, from batsmen like Brevis to bowlers including Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, and Keshav Maharaj. Every franchise prioritized local players, with 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. This distribution of top domestic talent across squads strengthens the entire league's competitiveness.”

Moody speaks about his new role:

“I'm genuinely excited to experience SA20’s vibrant atmosphere firsthand after watching previous seasons on television. It's an honor to join the Super Giants’ team leadership and help build a strong legacy that extends beyond South Africa to make a global impact in cricket.”

On the importance of leadership in their squad:

"Strong leadership is crucial in T20 cricket, both for setting standards and tactical decisions. Aiden Markram brings proven strategic captaincy and leads from the front, with existing connections to our franchise through IPL. Complementing him are exceptional leaders like Kane Williamson and Heinrich Klaasen, creating a leadership group that significantly enhances our tournament prospects.”

On the importance of execution:

“Smart recruitment that builds a team capable of winning both, home and away matches, is just the first step toward success. While management deserves credit for assembling competitive squads, strength on paper means little if not translated into performances. We’ve often seen strong teams on paper fail to reach finals. The real work begins now; proper preparation must translate into peak form at the tournament's most crucial moments.”

Catch all the action from the SA20 Season 4 which gets underway from December 26, 2025 – January 25, 2026, LIVE & Exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network in India