James Neesham on life as a T20 freelancer: 'It's about tackling each day as it comes'

"Win this tournament, and then go to India and win the T20 World Cup, and then probably go home for a bit."

These are James Neesham's objectives over the next 12 months. Notice that there are no personal goals. As a globetrotting freelancer, he's happy to divorce results from his performances.

"I don't really do goals like that [specifically] for a season," Neesham tells ESPNcricinfo in a media interaction organised by Dubai Capitals. "I could play seven games, I could play one game; we could win the whole thing, we could come last, all the possibilities are on the table. But it's about tackling each day as it comes, try and put on performances. If that ends up [with you] scoring 300 runs in a season, then that's fantastic. If it's less than that, then it's just something you've had to deal with.

"You just go tournament by tournament and hope to perform. Not having the security of a format means you have to be beholden to your performance a little bit more. Look, as professional athletes, everyone's used to having to rely on themselves, be self-sufficient, and perform. So, it's nothing too worrying."

Since declining a national contract with New Zealand Cricket [NZC] in September 2022, Neesham has been a constant presence in the global T20 circuit. He has played for 10 teams in seven competitions as well as 45 T20Is for New Zealand.

Looking back, Neesham feels he is doing what he wanted to when he gave up his contract, and opening up his schedule during the New Zealand summer to play around the world.

"The main thought process behind that decision was being able to play in the SA20 during our home summer," Neesham says, "which you obviously can't do if you're contracted. I got three years with Pretoria Capitals, which was a very enjoyable stint for me, and now here at the ILT20, being able to play against the best players in the world in our home summer. That was the goal."

Twenty-seven of Neesham's 115 games in this period have come for Pretoria Capitals and Dubai Capitals, franchises owned by the GMR group. He enjoys the familiarity and continuity that this provides.

"I go way back with GMR to play[ing] in the IPL in 2014 for Delhi Daredevils [now Delhi Capitals]. It's always nice to have the continuity of the same management and coaching staff to keep things familiar. With the schedule being different, not being able to play all of the SA20 this year, ILT20 became the preferable option. I'm very happy to come here and continue my relationship with the Capitals in a different [tournament]."

Given the nature of the freelancer's schedule, it can be a challenge to remain match-ready as and when the call to play comes. It makes keeping fit a priority, but Neesham is realistic about what's in his control.

"Injuries are part of the game," he says. "No one is fully fit all the time. For myself, at 35, I have enough experience to know how to prepare myself physically for tournaments, and the thing with cricket these days is that there's no real off-season. You're pretty much playing year-round, so you can stay conditioned for cricket. Then it normally holds you in pretty good stead going from tournament to tournament."