‘Practical master’ Dodda Ganesh wants to make Kenya qualify for upcoming World Cups

Ganesh’s first assignment as the coach will be the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League A, where Kenya will face Papua New Guinea, Denmark, Kuwait, Jersey, and Qatar.

FILE PHOTO: Dodda Ganesh said the seeds for the goodwill were sown when Karnataka toured Kenya in 2000. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Former India and Karnataka pacer Dodda Ganesh on Wednesday confirmed that he’s been appointed as the head coach of the Kenya men’s cricket team for a one-year term.

Ganesh thanked Cricket Kenya Chairman Manoj Patel, former Kenya team analyst Thota Srinivas, and former Kenya captain Steve Tikolo for his appointment.

“It goes back to the time when Karnataka toured Kenya in 2000. I played well that time. I think they liked the respect I showed for them. When this opportunity came up, I immediately took it up since I’ve always had a soft corner for Kenya,” he said.

He also expressed his gratitude to former India cricketer Brijesh Patel, who was the Secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) at that time. “Because the seed for the goodwill (with Kenya) was sown then (when he toured Kenya). After 24 years, it has helped me get this job,” Ganesh, who is in Nairobi currently, said over the phone.

He said that his goal is “to make Kenya qualify” for the T20 and ODI World Cups. “I want to take them back to the era when they played well - 1996, 1999, 2003, that era,” he added.

The 51-year-old’s first assignment as the coach will be the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League A, where Kenya will face Papua New Guinea, Denmark, Kuwait, Jersey, and Qatar. It’s the first stage of the qualifiers for the 2027 ODI World Cup and is scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 6 in Nairobi.

Following that, Kenya will play Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Gambia in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-regional Qualifier B tournament, which is to take place from October 17 to 26 in Nairobi.

Ganesh said he’s planning to make the squad play at least 20 practice matches before the first event.

“I’m a practical master. I don’t believe in copybook cricket; I believe in open nets. I want them to get as much practical knowledge as possible, not theoretical knowledge. We have around four weeks. I want to make them play at least twenty practice matches.”

Ganesh will have former Kenya players Lameck Onyango and Joseph Angara as assistant coaches.