Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced the names of the high-profile Coaches who will head up seven of the T20 Global League squads. The keen interest from top quality coaching staff across all teams and regions lends massive gravitas to the inaugural league, and affirms the passion and commitment that these former players have for South African cricket.
Bloem City Blazers, the eighth franchise participating in the league, will soon be announcing their coach. Meanwhile, they have appointed former Indian star player, Robin Singh, as their Director of Cricket.
Ahead of the T20 Global League Player Draft to be held this weekend (26 -27 August 207), with almost 400 players from 10 countries confirming their interest, it’s time to meet the impressive coaching line up for the 2017 tournament:
Sridharan Sriram – Jo’burg Giants
Sridharan had a distinguished playing career, scoring almost 15 000 runs and taking 200 wickets across the three formats in Indian domestic cricket. He has a close connection with South Africa, having first come to light during the under-19 India tour to South Africa shortly after unity and having made his ODI debut against the Proteas at Nagpur in 2000. He later turned his hand to coaching and has worked as head coach of the Delhi Daredevils and has also worked with the Australian national side as a spin bowling consultant. He has a close friendship with Proteas video analyst, Prasanna Agoram.
Graeme Smith – Benoni Zalmi
Smith ranks as South Africa’s greatest captain of all time, having led the Proteas to the No. 1 Test ranking as well as double away series victories over both England and Australia. This is his first move into the coaching arena and his international experience over many years makes him the ideal candidate for the job.
Jacques Kallis – Cape Town Knight Riders
Kallis is South Africa’s greatest cricketer of the modern era and one of its greatest of all time. His statistics as a batting all-rounder are the best of all time and it is this all-round ability that makes him an ideal candidate as a coach. In this role he has already achieved a lot of success in the Indian Premier League.
Paddy Upton – Durban Qalandars
After a brief spell as player for South Africa’s Western Province, Paddy Upton has become a leading coach. He worked as an assistant coach to the Proteas, specialising on the mental side of the game, and in recent times has coached several Indian Premier League franchises with great success, as well as the Sydney Thunder in the Australian Big Bash League.
Mark Boucher – Nelson Mandela Bay Stars
As a player Boucher was the most successful wicketkeeper the game has ever seen with 999 dismissals across the three formats before his career was cut short by a tragic eye injury. He has since turned his attention to coaching where he has achieved immediate success with the Titans in South Africa’s domestic franchise competitions. He has also worked as an assistant coach in the Indian Premier League.
Russell Domingo – Pretoria Mavericks
Domingo has guided the Proteas through one of its most successful periods, first as assistant coach to Gary Kirsten and then as head coach. This included guiding the Proteas to the top of the Test rankings in 2012. When he stood down as head coach the Proteas were ranked No. 1 in ODI cricket and No. 2 in Test cricket. His recent performances including an away Test series win in Australia and a 5-0 whitewash in a home ODI series against the same opponents.
Stephen Fleming – Stellenbosch Monarchs
Fleming is arguably New Zealand’s best cricket captain of all time and is also their leading Test runs scorer of all time. His record as coach in the Indian Premier League with the Chennai Super Kings also makes him the most successful coach in the IPL.
Robin Singh – Director of Cricket, Bloem City Blazers
Singh played more than 100 ODI matches for India before embarking on a highly successful career as a coach. An outstanding fielder in his own right he served as fielding coach to the Indian side for a number of years and has also worked as head coach of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
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