The Central Districts paceman has created plenty of positive chatter following two impressive Twenty20 performances against the West Indies in the past week where he clocked 153km/h on the speedball radar and also showed improved control.
His returns of 1-15 and a career-best 2-22 in the series-clinching four-wicket win in Wellington on Wednesday night highlighted what he can do but provided another reminder that such a special talent needs to be carefully managed.
After enduring a tough introduction to international cricket when he was selected as an 18-year-old to play against Pakistan in 2010, the Palmerston North lad has added notable size to his frame and appears better adept at enduring the rigours of being an elite fast bowler.
"I think the New Zealand Cricket medical staff's done a really good job with him over the last couple of years," Hesson said.
"He's toured with us a bit, hasn't played a lot but learned a lot and certainly, physically, he's matured a lot over the last 12 to 18 months. So we've kept him on ice and we'll just have to pick and choose when we use him because we don't want him to be someone that bursts on the scene and then we bust him and then we don't see him for a couple of years. So it's something we've got to continue to manage."
Milne's slender build was always going to be a concern while he was in his teens and he picked up a variety of minor ailments in the early stages of his professional career.
"He's a fine bowler and he's 21 running in and trying to bowl quick," Hesson said. "We've just got to marry up that enthusiasm with trying to keep him on the park and for a long period of time. But he's exciting."
With the West Indies tour now a memory, India have arrived in New Zealand to meet the Black Caps in five one-day matches and two tests.
The one-day series gets underway at McLean Park in Napier on Sunday and Milne will be fighting for a spot in the playing XI with New Zealand's 13-strong squad for the series featuring four genuine seam-bowling options.
Left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan, Tim Southee and veteran Kyle Mills are the other pacemen included and Hesson said only three would play at McLean Park.
"I think all four of the guys know there is competition for places and that's a really good thing."
One improvement Hesson wanted from his pacemen as they looked to the Indian series was a higher level of intensity at the top of the innings.
"It's aggression in terms of where you bowl the ball, the pace you bowl, the areas you bowl. You're not just running up and putting it there and sort of hoping good things are going to happen. You're trying to make things happen."
If Milne can crank the pace back past the 150km/h mark, there's a good chance things will happen against India.
- Daniel Richardson of APNZ
