Mike Hesson, Royal Challengers Bangalore Director of Cricket Operations believes one certainly cannot teach the likes of Virat Kohli how to bat and it is just about adding value to what the player already knows.
Mike Hesson has worked with star players such as Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers after being roped in by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019.
Mike Hesson: One Can’t Teach Star Cricketers Like Virat Kohli How To Bat
Virat Kohli relinquished his captaincy duties at the end of IPL 2021 but was retained by his franchise along with Glenn Maxwell and Mohammad Siraj. Royal Challengers Bangalore Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson had said RCB has managed to cover all bases with a multi-dimensional skill set in the 2-day auction event in Bengaluru.
“You certainly cannot teach them how to bat, that’s the last thing you’re going to do. It’s just how you can find a way to add value to what they already know,” Mike Hesson said on the ‘RCB Podcast’ on working with star players like Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli, who led the RCB till the last season, has been retained by the franchise. The upcoming edition of the cash-rich league will be played from March 26 in Mumbai and Pune.
“When you’re straight in competition, the last thing you want to do is create uncertainty around techniques or anything like that,” said Hesson, who has also coached New Zealand in the past.
“So, most of our coaching or discussions are just, if you see something that’s maybe not quite right, you just observe for a while, and then you ask questions because these players are great for a reason.
“They’ve probably had 10-30 different coaches throughout their lives, who have all offered different bits of advice, so, they’ve arrived at this point in time with loads of information.”
With Punjab Kings also appointing Mayank Agarwal as the new captain on Monday (February 28), RCB is the only remaining franchise among the 10 teams without a captain for the IPL 2022 season. RCB has the option of picking Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Dinesh Kartik as possible replacements for Virat Kohli.
Mike Hesson Wants To Add Value To RCB Cricketers
According to the 47-year-old Mike Hesson, it is all about adding value.
“They’ve obviously gone down this path for a reason. Rather than feeling I have the right to come in and make a judgment on their game and question it, I just ask questions. Because ultimately, they have the answers but they can’t watch themselves at the time.
“They might be kinesthetic learners so they might need to feel it, they might need to see it; they might need somebody to tell them. It’s just working out how that player receives information and how you can add value,” Hesson signed off.
Before the two-day mega auction, RCB had retained three players – their former skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and pacer Mohammed Siraj. The franchise snapped up Faf du Plessis for ₹7 crores, which can be linked with the team’s need for an experienced player who has also shown his captaincy prowess.
Mike Hesson had expressed his delight over Faf du Plessis’ arrival and also underlined Josh Hazlewood’s presence in the bowling attack. Apart from Faf du Plessis, RCB also acquired the services of Josh Hazlewood ( ₹7.75 crores) and Dinesh Karthik ( ₹5.5 crores).
The franchise also bought back some old faces – IPL 2021 Purple Cap winner Harshal Patel, who had picked a record 32 wickets, and Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, for a similar price of INR 10.75 crore.