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Mike Hesson, former New Zealand coach, to apply for head coach of Indian cricket team
Mike Hesson had earlier coached New Zealand for six years, from 2012 to 2018, a phase in which the national side were highly successful. They even played their first World Cup final in 2015. He currently coaches Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.
Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is likely to apply for the position of head coach of the Indian cricket team. The last date to submit the application is July 30, with current coach Ravi Shastri getting a direct entry into the process.
Hesson was the coach of the New Zealand team for six years before he resigned in 2018. Under his regime, the Kiwis were successful, as they entered their first World Cup final in 2015. He resigned from international coaching and took to coaching IPL team Kings XI Punjab last year, but is now eager to coach India.
“Hesson is very much interested in applying for the head coach’s position,” a source told CricketNext. “He has spent a couple of months in India already working with Kings XI in IPL as well as doing television work with the hosts broadcasters. He’ll love to work with a high-profile team like India after a highly successful stint with New Zealand.”
“Hesson and his agent need to be convinced about the conditions of the job as laid down by the BCCI. But chances are that they will be sending their application in soon,” the source added.
However, one hurdle that could hamper Hesson is his job with Kings XI Punjab. He will have to submit an affidavit, which will clear him of any potential conflict of interest.
“Gary Kirsten applied for the women coach’s job earlier this year when he was still employed with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He had to furnish an affidavit to the BCCI stating that he would give up his position with the IPL franchise if he was selected for the job. Although Kirsten was the first choice of the ad-hoc Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), he couldn’t accept the position because he was not able to fulfil the terms of the affidavit,” a senior BCCI official informed CricketNext.
Earlier, Kane Williamson, who had taken over the leadership role from New Zealand's Brendon McCullum in 2015, had praised Hesson's coaching style.
“When I came into the role, one of the good things he did was he said, ‘how do you want to look to try and do it and what do you think? We can work together on that?’
“We would challenge each other on things but ultimately the goal was the same – it's about the team and seeing it progress,” Williamson said about Hesson.
