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Sourav Ganguly 'extremely calm', coaching gig would require him to 'manage people and nothing else': Allan Donald
As Sourav Ganguly takes on the role of head coach for Pretoria Capitals in the SA20, Allan Donald believes Dada's experience will be invaluable.
Sourav Ganguly, one of India's greatest captains, is ready for a whole new chapter in his life. For the first time, Dada will don the hat of a head coach, and it would be interesting to see whether he is able to change the fortunes of the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 after taking over the reins from Jonathan Trott. Ever since he retired from professional cricket, the Prince of Kolkata has donned several hats, right from being the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal and the BCCI to being the Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
While the head coach and Director of Cricket are vastly different roles, Ganguly now finds himself in a position that demands a more hands-on approach. It will be intriguing to see how the former India captain adapts, but if early signs are anything to go by, he appears more than ready. Earlier this year, Ganguly had even hinted at the possibility of taking on a full-time coaching role. And if Dada can guide Pretoria Capitals to their maiden SA20 title in the 2025–26 season, the permutations and possibilities for the future are endless.
Former South Africa pacer Allan Donald, who worked alongside Ganguly at Pune Warriors India in 2012, believes he is perfectly suited for the job. Donald, who was the bowling coach during Ganguly's final IPL season as a player, has seen his leadership qualities up close. He feels Ganguly would bring invaluable experience to the SA20, a league that has rapidly grown into the second-biggest competition after the IPL.
Also Read: Sourav Ganguly takes open revenge on Stephen Fleming after two decades with Brevis move
That said, Donald also cautioned that nothing can be taken for granted. This is Ganguly’s first time stepping into such a demanding role, and only time will tell how well he settles into the hot seat.
"Look, I can only talk from a playing point of view when he was captain of the Pune Warriors India. Like you say, it's his very first gig as coach. What will Sourav bring? What's his style? He strikes me as an extremely calm guy from his captaincy way back. And so it's a difficult one. It's a difficult one for everyone because obviously Jonathan Trott was there very briefly, and now Sourav is the man in charge. But I just think he'll bring plenty of experience. He's been around the gang for a very, very long time. Not necessarily as a coach. He's been doing some mentor work with Delhi Capitals," said Donald, while replying to a Hindustan Times query.
"A few players who have been there could have a head start on knowing what he is about. But I think when you come to a tournament like this and you meet players who only fly in sometimes, some of them only fly in about four days before the competition, it's all about managing. Managing people. That's it. There's not a heck of a lot of coaching or over-coaching going on. You've got no time in the months that are so hectic and packed. Fly, play, train, fly, play, train. So you're really just managing players extremely well and picking the right combinations for your home games and your away games. So I just think he'll bring that. Just knowledge, smartness, and calmness that he'll bring. So that's how I'd see him in a nutshell," he added.
The Dewald Brevis story
Since joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a replacement player in the IPL 2025 season, Dewald Brevis' career has taken a dramatic turn. He is now one of the most sought-after T20 cricketers worldwide, and it came as no surprise when Ganguly’s Pretoria Capitals secured him for a record INR 8.20 crore at the SA20 auction.
From his U19 World Cup days, Brevis has often been likened to AB de Villiers. Yet, in his early outings for South Africa, he struggled to live up to the 'Baby AB' tag. Now, however, the young right-hander has truly come into his own, a transformation that Allan Donald believes reflects Brevis finally embracing his natural game and identity.
"He's himself now. I think he's now the player that we all know he could become. Not having that burden on his back of saying, you know, AB this and AB that. It's all great and all that, but I think we're now going to see the guy who, from ball one, he's going to take it on. So yeah, I just hope he has the biggest SA20 ever. I'm so pleased for him. He's a great young man, and I hope he has an absolute belter," said Donald.
