Jonathan Trott has been named the new head coach of the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20, succeeding Graham Ford, who departed from the position last month.
Trott, currently serving as the head coach of Afghanistan since 2022, has a contract running through to the end of 2024. It remains uncertain whether he will extend his tenure with Afghanistan beyond this period. The SA20 league, scheduled for January 2025, does not conflict with his international duties, but Trott's future with the Afghan team is yet to be confirmed, with his contract set to expire in December.
The Pretoria Capitals are undergoing significant changes, following the departure of Ricky Ponting, who ended his seven-year tenure with the Delhi franchise. The decision to part ways with Ford came after a challenging second season in which the Capitals secured only three victories, finishing fifth. This was a stark contrast to their impressive debut season in 2023, where they were runners-up after leading the table.
Under Trott's leadership, the Afghanistan team has seen a remarkable improvement, particularly in international tournaments. Despite having a talented squad in the shorter formats, they had won just one match in an ICC event prior to Trott's tenure. However, in the last nine months, they have secured victories against major teams such as Australia, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Bangladesh during the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20I World Cups. Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the T20I World Cup, ultimately losing to South Africa.
There is also speculation that Trott may be considered for England's limited-overs coaching role, though he is seen as an unlikely candidate, with a decision expected soon regarding the current head coach, Matthew Mott. Trott, who has earned 127 caps for England, has prior coaching experience with the Under-19 and Lions teams and is currently an assistant coach for the Trent Rockets in the men's Hundred.