The fourth edition of the SA20 is in full swing in South Africa, with six teams battling it out for supremacy. Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have made a flawless start, registering two wins from two matches and collecting bonus points along the way to surge to 10 points on the table.

The Pretoria Capitals, meanwhile, have endured a nightmare opening, suffering back-to-back defeats. The poor start comes despite a major off-season move, with the franchise appointing former India captain Sourav Ganguly as head coach ahead of SA20 2026, his first stint in a full-time coaching role after serving previously as mentor and advisor with Delhi Capitals.

Batting struggles expose early cracks under Sourav Ganguly

The Capitals’ campaign began with a 22-run loss to Joburg Super Kings. While the bowlers kept JSK to a manageable 168, the batting unit failed to rise to the occasion. The same pattern followed in their second outing, where Sunrisers Eastern Cape posted a competitive yet chaseable 188.

Once again, Pretoria’s batsmen faltered, folding for just 140 and slumping to a second consecutive defeat. The repeated batting collapses have quickly placed the spotlight on team balance and preparation under the new coaching regime.

The problems, however, appear to trace back to the auction table. Pretoria Capitals entered the auction with one of the largest purses but invested heavily in Dewald Brevis, acquiring the young star for R16.5 million (approximately ₹8.3 crore). Expectations were sky-high, but Brevis has managed only 18 runs across two innings, averaging 9.00.

The heavy reliance on Brevis, coupled with visible gaps in other areas of the squad, has hurt the Capitals early in the tournament. As results continue to disappoint, criticism has begun to mount and Sourav Ganguly’s first coaching assignment is already under scrutiny.