"Two distinctly different types of characters" - Mike Hesson on working with Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson
Mike Hesson, one of New Zealand's longest-serving coaches, recently opened up on his working relationship with former captains Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson.
He pointed out that the two players were very different from each other. He suggested that McCullum was more of a risk-taker, who believed attacking to be the best option in pressure situations.
The 48-year-old mentioned that as the head coach, he had to adapt according to the leadership style of the skipper.
Speaking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) podcast, he said:
"Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum are two captains that I've spent a lot of time with. Two batters who have been world-class in their prime and two distinctly different types of characters and players. One is more of a risk-taker who wants to change the way we play the game, and if in doubt, take that aggressive option.
"So for me to talk to him about batting time or absorbing pressure and seeing off the new ball is stupid. So for me to understand what makes him tick and gets them in the frame of mind to go out there and play the way he wants, sometimes it's doing nothing if you can see that a player is very much in the zone."
Hesson achieved great success during his tenure with the New Zealand cricket team. His reign began in 2012 and continued till 2018. Under him, the Blackcaps made it to the final of the ICC ODI World Cup in 2015.
"Likes to be really calm" - Mike Hesson on Kane Williamson
Mike Hesson further stated that Kane Williamson's preferred approach was very different to Brendon McCullum's, indicating that the star batter liked to remain calm under all circumstances.
He emphasized that as a coach, he had to understand the personalities of the captain to ensure a healthy relationship.
On this, Hesson remarked:
"Kane Williamson likes to talk and is quite methodical in his preparation. He watches a lot of videos and gets in that zone and also likes to be really calm. The very last thing he would want is a coach coming into the dressing room and trying to ramp everybody up. That would annoy him. It's just understanding different natures."
Notably, Hesson will be a part of RCB's think tank in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). He is the current Director of Cricket Operations of the Bangalore-based franchise.