Former India fast bowler Dodda Ganesh has been appointed as the head coach of the Kenya men’s cricket team.

Cricket Kenya on Tuesday (August 13) unveiled the 51-year-old Ganesh as their coach at a ceremony at the Sikh Union Club in Nairobi.

On his X (formerly Twitter), Ganesh said it was a privilege to coach Kenya.

“Privileged to be named the head coach of the Kenya cricket team,” Ganesh, who played four Tests and one ODI for India, posted on social media.

Ganesh, who has been given a one-year contract, said his main aim is to help Kenya qualify for the ODI World Cup.

“My mission is to take Kenya back to the World Cup, that’s where this country belongs. I watched Kenya play in the World Cup in 1996,1999, 2003 and 2011. I’m not sure what happened in between the ten year period to now, but now my work is cut out, we have to get there (at the World Cup) at any cost,” Ganesh said.

Kenya’s best performance at a ODI World Cup came in 2003 when they reached the semi-finals but lost to India.

Now, Kenya’s World Cup qualifying campaign starts with the ICC Division 2 Challenge League.