5 most underrated coaches in cricket history

#2 Mike Hesson

Hesson is one of the shrewdest coaches in the contemporary game

At 43, head coach Mike Hesson is not much older than some of the senior cricketers in the current New Zealand team. While the usual pathway to coaching follows an extensive playing career at either domestic or international level, the man from Dunedin is a trailblazer in every sense of the word.

Without any field experience to speak of, Hesson began his coaching journey at the age of 22 as an apprentice in the Otago set-up. After graduating to become the team's assistant coach and then head coach in the early 2000s, he gradually began to shift his gaze to the international arena. Notwithstanding brief stints with Argentina's cricket team early in his career and subsequently Kenya at the start of this decade, his maiden opportunity at the highest level of the game came when he was appointed as New Zealand's head coach in 2012.

Since then, Hesson has played his part in changing the dynamics of New Zealand cricket. Forging a strong working relationship with captain Brendon McCullum, he decided to do away with bits and pieces players in favour of talented specialists in either departments. Apart from converting the Blackcaps into a strong force in Tests at home, the duo created national history by propelling New Zealand to their maiden World Cup final in 2015. While McCullum has since walked away from the game, Hesson continues to monitor the team's progress by developing a solid rapport with skipper Kane Williamson.

Coaching Stints

Argentina (2004-2005), Kenya (2011-2012), New Zealand (2012-present)