Former Indian all-rounder Dodda Ganesh has been appointed as the head coach of Kenya’s men’s cricket team, a role that carries the weight of expectation to revive the nation’s cricketing glory. Ganesh, at 51 years of age, will take on the challenge of leading Kenya’s journey towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, with the upcoming Africa Qualifiers serving as the first hurdle.
Ganesh’s cricketing journey, though marked by limited success in international appearances with four Tests and a solitary ODI, saw him shine in domestic first-class cricket, amassing over 2000 runs and securing 365 wickets for Karnataka. However, his biggest task lies in replicating the golden era of Kenyan cricket, where the team participated in five World Cups between 1996 and 2011. Notably, Kenya reached the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup under the guidance of another Indian coach, Sandeep Patil.
While Kenya has only qualified for one T20 World Cup edition, back in 2007, their performance has since declined. They will now face Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Denmark, and Jersey in the ICC Division 2 Challenge League in September, followed by the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers in October. The 2026 T20 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Ganesh expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “Privileged to be named the head coach of the Kenya cricket team.” A video shared on social media showed him interacting with senior Kenyan cricket officials.
Ganesh’s coaching team will include former Kenyan internationals Lameck Onyango and Joseph Angara, who will serve as his deputies. The trio will be tasked with guiding Kenya back to the pinnacle of international cricket.
