"Certainly can't teach them how to bat" - Mike Hesson on coaching Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Director of Cricketer Mike Hesson has worked with the likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers since joining the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise in 2019.
He also took over the coaching role for the second half of IPL 2021.
Speaking on the 'RCB Podcast' about working with star batters like Kohli and de Villiers, Hesson said:
"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. When you’re straight in competition, the last thing you want to do is create uncertainty around techniques or anything like that," he added.
'Observe and ask questions' - Mike Hesson on his coaching technique
Speaking about how he approaches coaching, especially when it comes to established players, Mike Hesson said:
"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."
He went on to explain how most established players have had inputs from various coaches throughout their careers.
"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," he said.
Hesson said it is important to understand how each player learns and tries to add value accordingly.
"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," he said.
RCB will of course miss the services of AB de Villiers from IPL 2022 onwards, with the legendary South African retiring from cricket after last season. However, Virat Kohli was retained by the franchise, although he has relinquished his captaincy.