When Monty Desai took charge of Nepal a few years back, he was entering a crucial phase in the team’s history. Nepal had the potential to perform at the highest stage, but it was a question of whether they could get them to realise that at the highest level. The task with Canada is also quite similar. It is his task to ensure that the team competes and wins at the highest level.
“My focus will be on building a culture that translates this potential into consistent performances on the international stage,” Desai said after agreeing to take over as Canada’s head coach.
He has an impressive CV. Besides working with Nepal and Afghanistan, he also worked as the batting coach of the West Indies and with a few domestic teams in India.
Impressive CV
During his stint with the West Indies, Desai is also credited with the revival of batters like Kraigg Brathwaite, Nkrumah Bonner, and also watched from the sidelines as Kyle Mayers slammed a double century on Test debut against Bangladesh.
Desai’s approach to the game is simple. He believes that the game is made of small “one-ball battles” that the players have to overcome. It’s a theory that each ball is a separate battle of its own. The result? Nepal won 11 of their last 12 ICC CWC League 2 matches, which saw them make it to the World Cup Qualifiers. They won the ACC Premier Cup at home, which saw them qualify for the Asia Cup 2023 and also played in their first T20 World Cup in 10 years in the US and Caribbean in 2024.
While they may not have won a single game at the mega event, despite coming close on a couple of occasions, it was further vindication of Nepal heading in the right direction. Under Desai, Nepal had won 20 out of 36 ODIs – only India, Australia and Sri Lanka had more wins in this period. In the shortest format, Nepal had won 20 out of 38.
While they are not outstanding numbers, they mirror a team who have improved under him.
Canadian challenge
But can he do the same with Canada?
Cricket Canada are embroiled in a controversy of their own. A match of theirs from the T20 World Cup 2026 is under investigation, and there are reports that suggest that their skipper Dilpreet Bajwa is involved in some capacity.
Desai is no stranger to dealing with controversies. When he took charge, Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane had just been released from prison, but not acquitted of the rape charges. Not many welcomed him back into the team with open arms and there were reports of disharmony within the dressing room. Moreover, not many welcomed their star spinner with open arms.
No stranger to handling controversies
The task for Desai was to get the attention back to the cricket. To avoid any further distractions, the captaincy was handed over to a young Rohit Paudel, but Lamichhane continued to be part of the team, becoming a key figure in Nepal, finishing third on the League 2 points table. He will have to do something similar with Canada.
Desai will have to do something similar with Canada as well: Let the cricket do the talking. “His experience with Associate nations, most notably Nepal and Afghanistan, demonstrates his ability to transform teams through effective leadership, discipline, and a clear long-term plan,” Arvinder Khosa, president of Cricket Canada, said on Desai’s appointment.
Moreover, Canada are going through a rough patch, having lost their last eight ODIs. As a result, they find themselves in sixth place in the League 2 standings. Moreover, they lost all their matches at the T20 World Cup as well.
With plenty of talented players like ex-skipper Nicholas Kirton, Kaleem Sana, Shreyas Movva, Sad Bin Zafar and others to help Desai maneuver Canada during these tough times, they should be up and running in no time.
Their next game is not until June, when they take on USA and the Netherlands – two teams in the top four of League 2 – at home. How they fare against them could determine the rest of the cycle. Moreover, as far as their 2028 T20 World Cup qualification is concerned, only one team from the Americas region can make it through. They will certainly have stiff competition from the US.
It’s a tricky road ahead for Canada. However, given Desai’s experience, they should be in a position to compete for everything.
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