Shane Bond says it will be a very different Black Caps side he'll return to as bowling coach.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead is banking on Shane Bond's involvement in the IPL to help them in the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October.
Five years ago the former fast bowler was a full time member of the Black Caps coaching staff but Bond says the likes of veterans Trent Boult and Tim Southee are very different players now.
"Your philosphies change, you soften as you go through the years and I have done nearly eleven years now of coaching... I think when I took over Boulty was around 50 test wickets and he's got nearly 300 test wickets now so they have developed as players and its very different as to how you deal with them as players," he said.
While its five years since Bond was fulltime with the Black Caps he has been call in to help out a training camps. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Bond will head to the UAE next month to resume his role with IPL side the Mumbai Indians with the competition re-starting on September 19th.
The IPL in India was suspended in May when several players contracted COVID-19, Black Caps Tim Seifert among them.
Bond said he's not nervous about returning to the IPL.
"I don't think anyone would put themselves in a situation where they felt unsafe....even though there was COVID last time, you didn't feel unsafe and its no different going into this trip."
While the IPL earlier this year was India before it was suspended last year's tournament was in the UAE and Bond says he will be able to offer the Black Caps plenty of insight into the pitches and venues.
-RNZ