Pretoria Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj heaped praise on former India captain Sourav Ganguly for his role in developing the team culture at the SA20 franchise after taking over as their head coach last year.
“I think in tournaments like this, you’ve got to build a nice team culture around everything, and Sourav was amazing at that,” Maharaj said in a release.
The Capitals finished agonisingly short of their first title win last year, losing the final to Sunrisers Eastern Cape by six wickets.
“We had a lot of guys that bought into what we tried to achieve. Often during the competition, when we weren’t playing, we’d get in the team room, have dinner together, watch other games and chat cricket. There was a real buzz and energy within the camp, which was a privilege to be a part of.
“To create something so special in the first season was really exciting. Hopefully, we can build on that, and that will last for generations to come,” he added.
Ganguly, who has had previous stints in cricket administration as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, took up his first coaching role with the South African T20 side last year. He also served as an advisor and team director in two separate stints with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The next SA20 edition will begin in January 2027 in a repeat of last year’s final.
“It’s always going to be the case to the public (revenge), but I think it’s just about putting our best foot forward,” Maharaj said.
“We know it’s always important to start the competition really well, and to do it against the defending champions would be a nice step in the right direction towards the new season.”