Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain and BCCI president, has been appointed as the head coach of the Pretoria Capitals for the upcoming 2026 season of the SA20 league. This marks Ganguly's first head coach role in franchise cricket. The Pretoria Capitals confirmed the appointment through their official Instagram handle, expressing their excitement in welcoming "The Prince" to bring a royal flair to the team.
Ganguly takes over from Jonathan Trott, the former England batter, who stepped down after just one season in charge. Trott's tenure saw the Capitals struggle, as they finished the 2025 season with only two wins from ten group matches, failing to reach the knockouts. The franchise acknowledged Trott's dedication and leadership in a social media post.
This new role for Ganguly follows his stint as Team Director with the Delhi Capitals between 2018 and 2019. He had vacated that position to take over as the president of the BCCI. In 2024, Ganguly was appointed as JSW's Director of Cricket, a move that suggested a potential coaching role within one of their franchises, which includes both Delhi Capitals and Pretoria Capitals.
JSW Sports co-owns both the Pretoria Capitals and Delhi Capitals. Ganguly's appointment as head coach of the Pretoria Capitals strengthens his association with the owners.
Ganguly will now be responsible for overseeing the team's preparations and strategy. One of his immediate tasks will be to oversee the SA20 auction scheduled for September 9, 2025.
During his playing career, Sourav Ganguly was regarded as one of India's finest captains. He played in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs, amassing over 18,000 runs across both formats. He also led India to the final of the 2003 World Cup. After retirement, Ganguly served as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and then as BCCI president from 2019 to 2022.
The SA20 is South Africa's T20 competition. The second season of the SA20 took place in 2024, with six franchises participating: Durban's Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Each team played a double round-robin league from January 10 to February 4.