When Dinesha Devnarain first picked up a cricket bat, she never imagined her most defining innings would take place of the pitch. A former South African international cricketer turned pioneering coach, Devnarain’s career has become far more than a continuation of athletic success it’s become a mission. A calling. A platform to shape not just players, but people.
“I never planned that my career would be in coaching,” she reflects. “I studied financial accounting and human resources. But somewhere between lectures, life and playing for my country, I fell in love with coaching. It started at local schools, helping teammates and then it became an addiction.”
That “addiction “ would eventually lead her to a historic milestone: becoming the first woman to coach a South African national cricket team, a feat that places her firmly among the country’s most influential sporting figures. But if you ask her what defines her journey, she won’t mention first and titles. She’ll talk about people.
“Coaching for me wasn’t just a career shift. It was a calling to influence not only skills, but the human being behind the athlete.”
Transitioning from player to coach wasn’t without its complexities. “As a player, success is personal and immediate,” she says. “As a coach, it’s reflected in others and sometimes takers years to bear fruit.”
What she misses the most?The simplicity. The ability to switch off after a game. “Now the minute the match ends, my mind goes straight to the players how they’re feeling, what they need, how we improve.” She laughs, adding , “Relaxing after a game? That luxury is gone now.”
But the heart of her coaching is unmistakably grounded in values the kind passed down from her most enduring mentors: her parents.
“My mum and dad have been everything, especially my dad he saw things in me I didn’t even see in myself. I didn’t have many women in sport to look up to, so I decided I would become that person for someone else.”
Devnarain’s coaching philosophy is deeply humanistic: “Heart performance over high performance.”
“Develop the person, and the player will follow. “ Winning matters, but growth matters more.”
Her approach blends technical expertise with emotional intelligence, prioritising values like resilience, humility, and integrity. “There are no shortcuts,” she tells her players. “Do the right thing. Trust yourself. Respect the game.”
And trust that foundational ingredients of any strong team is something she builds quietly, consistently. “Just show up, “ she says. “Be there for your players not just on field, but when they need someone to lean on. Trust is build in small, everyday moments.”
Breaking barriers as a woman in a male dominated sport, Devnarain’s journey has not been without resistance.
“There’s always been pressure to prove myself twice over sometimes ten times more. From boardrooms to the boundary, I’ve had to be international with every word, every move. Confident, but not arrogant. Passionate, but not emotional.”
But she chose to reframe those challenges as catalyst. “Every barrier broken is one less for the next woman. That gives me strength.”
Over time, Devnarain learned to embrace not knowing, to welcome vulnerability a shift that allowed her to grow as a coach and a leader.
Article Guest Author:
Lerato C Motjale, from South Africa, is a trailblazer in the sports industry and the first female media liaison officer for the Premier Soccer League.
Words & Image courtesy of Female Coaching Network