The Trans-Tasman Camaraderie Ft. Mike Hesson and Simon Katich
Royal Challengers Bangalore is a team that is synonymous with playing a bold brand of cricket for over a decade. After a journey of wax and wane, the Trans-Tasman bond is all geared up for the two-month-long cricketing extravaganza which is set to begin on 29th March. In a bid to start the decade with a clean slate, Mike Hesson and Simon Katich were roped in to be a part of the bold think tank.
Mike Hesson - a level-headed, shrewd and perspicuous coach, played a pivotal role in leading the Blackcaps to their maiden World Cup final and a semi-final finish in the World T20. He was also one of the longest-serving coaches for the Blackcaps which lasted over six years. Certainly, Mike Hesson is someone who embraces the bold form of play and it will be no different when he sets his foot into the dressing room of one of the most followed franchises in the cricketing world. The 44-year-old who took over the role of Director of Cricket Operations which includes responsibilities such as strategy, programs, scouting and performance management, was quite impressed with the number of talent resources available in Karnataka.
“This is just a chance to look at some talent. Obviously, there is some talent in the catchment areas of Karnataka” – Mike Hesson added.
Simon Katich, who has been an integral part of the Aussie side for over a decade is all set for a new role this season. This will be his second stint as a coach in the Indian Premier League. The Western Australian born left-hander felt that there has to be a clarity of roles given to players and also, a positive team culture must be embodied within the side.
“You need guys with a character who are prepared to put their team first instead of their individual needs” – added Simon Katich who is keen to change the fortunes of the side.
The IPL auction story directed by Simon Katich and Mike Hesson
After a productive IPL Auction, Mike Hesson and Simon Katich were quite pleased with the buys. The acquisition of Aaron Finch, Chris Morris, Dale Steyn, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Joshua Philippe provided a right blend of experience and exuberance of youth. It was quite intriguing to discern the hard yards put out by the backend team of RCB from constantly keeping a tab on two of India’s high profile domestic white-ball tournaments – the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament.
Malolan Rangarajan along with Hesson identified a set of players who could really be a household name in the years to come. One such name is that of Bengal all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmad. With 426 runs and 30 wickets under his belt from 9 matches, Shahbaz Ahmed has been the surprise weapon for the Manoj Tiwari led Bengal and is also the main architect of the side's recent success in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. RCB has always had the reputation of unearthing players over the years – Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, and Shivam Dube, to name a few. After an impressive outing in the Ranji Trophy so far, Shahbaz will be eager to make his mark in the IPL this season.
With less than 34 days to go for the cricketing spectacle, Mike Hesson and Simon Katich will be the crucial factor behind the side's performance. Challengers, we can’t wait for the season to start!
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