Kenya sack head coach Dodda

Former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh has been unexpectedly dismissed from his role as the head coach of the Kenya national cricket team. Ganesh, who was appointed on August 14, 2024, had high hopes of leading Kenya back to the Cricket World Cup, their last appearance being in 2011.

At a recent event at the Sikh Union Club, Ganesh expressed his ambitious goal of qualifying for both the ODI and T20 World Cups. He emphasized the need for immediate preparation and progress, including watching local league matches and conducting fitness tests.

"The objective is to qualify for the World Cups, both ODIs and T20Is, but before that, we need to start preparing and start making progress. We have started preparing, and the signs are good. We got hardly any time left [for the first tournament], so I am watching local league matches. There will be fitness tests. We will slowly get into a process," Ganesh had said.

However, Cricket Kenya has now decided to end Ganesh's contract, citing irregularities in the hiring process as the reason. Cricket Kenya has deemed the contract, which was signed on August 7, 2024, invalid.

The sudden decision means that Lameck Onyango and Joseph Angara will take over coaching responsibilities for the upcoming 2027 Challenge League Group A round, scheduled for September. Ganesh was originally set to lead Kenya in the ICC Division 2 Challenge League this month, where Kenya would face Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Denmark, and Jersey, followed by the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers in October.

A statement from Cricket Kenya's Director of Women's Cricket, Pearlyne Omami, outlined the reason for Ganesh's dismissal. It read: "Under a resolution of the executive board of Cricket Kenya passed on Wednesday, 28th August 2024, and anchored under inter alia Articles 5.9 and 8.4.3 of the Cricket Kenya Constitution, we wish to notify you that the executive board has declined to ratify your appointment as head coach of the men's cricket national team for want of following established procedures."