Cricket: Cards are now in Wright's hands

No small amount of irony surrounds the imminent homecoming of New Zealand-born Indian coach John Wright.

The 50-year-old's decision to walk away from the Indian position after five years in charge has increased speculation about his professional intentions, and particularly the possibility that he will soon play a role within New Zealand Cricket.

John Bracewell will continue to run the Black Caps until his contract comes up for renewal midway through 2007, but there is talk that Wright could be poised for a developmental position, or perhaps to take over as the national A coach.

That, at least, should come as no surprise.

More startling was the fact that he managed to survive five years as Indian coach, and that he was able to leave the job of his own volition - with tributes and eulogies from the game's most populous nation ringing in his ears.

It must have seemed a distant galaxy to the situation in which he found himself in 1999, when NZC had the chance to appoint him as the Black Caps' boss, but instead hitched their cart to the more academic style of David Trist.

A year later Wright was appointed to the Indian position, and only a few months later Trist - who'd already had a gutsful of international coaching - informed NZC that he wanted his life back and wouldn't be seeking an extension.

It's fair to say that Wright was annoyed about the 1999 snub and, particularly, the way his rejection was handled, a process that left him with the impression that a decision had been made well before he was interviewed.

He mentioned the affair briefly when New Zealand were touring India in 2003, although by that stage his success on the sub-continent had overtaken the disappointment, and was leading him on the most fascinating journey of his life.

"There's a lot of humility in India, a lot of patience," he said.

"There's a wisdom in the place and the people, and it's simply an experience.

"People ask me what's it like, but it's actually very hard to describe unless you go there and become part of the culture. It's unusual, special and surprising."

Thrown in with two of world cricket's most egotistical characters - skipper Sourav Ganguly and chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya - Wright flew in the face of all predictions, moulding a more resilient and hard-working side, and winning plaudits from players and opponents.

Considering the chaos taking place when he took over - Sachin Tendulkar had just quit as captain and match-fixing scandals were in the air - his effort in steering India to safe ground was nothing short of remarkable.

But it was in just his second test series that India truly awoke to the influence of Wright. The shrewd New Zealander had gambled on promoting V. V. S. Laxman up the order against Steve Waugh's all-conquering Australians, with spectacular results.

That was the test which India won after following on, the test in which Laxman began the Wright legend with a scarcely-believable 281 at Eden Gardens, before off-spinner Harbhajan Singh finished the Aussies off in the fourth innings.

From there, India roared forward to win one of the most exciting test series in recent memory, a result that seemed to spur them on towards more improved performances at home and abroad, and set Wright's reputation in stone.

And yet, he is still the same old "Shake", the chain-smoking, guitar-toting opener who played such a big role in New Zealand's turbulent awakening through the 1980s, rising to captain with an air of complete and utter nonchalance.

Nothing could be further from the truth, of course.

It was just the mask that allowed him to deal with the acute pressures of international cricket; a natural front that disguised the intense concentration and analysis going on behind the scenes.

Team-mates recall his determination at the crease in almost reverent tones and opponents would rather forget the times they were crushed by his application: on two occasions he batted for more than eight hours while scoring centuries against India and the West Indies.

As it happened, these were the very attributes that made Wright ideal for coaching India: a keen mixture of discipline, determination and selflessness, all wrapped up in a veneer of complete calm.

And they're also the assets that make Wright such a valuable commodity for NZC, whether it be in grooming emerging players, trouble-shooting with established players, or simply sharing his experiences with cricketers and administrators.

Whatever happens, however, the chances of Wright making a spontaneous or instinctive decision about his future with NZC are remote, and especially after his treatment at their hands in 1999, when he was trumped by Trist.

On this occasion, the man who covets work-ethic and determination over talent and skill, will be holding all the cards.

THE HIGHS AND LOWS

HIGHS
2001: India come back from 1-0 down to beat Australia 2-1 at home.
2002: The NatWest Trophy is won in England.
2002: Dramatic series draw in England after losing the first test.
2002: India shares ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka.
2003: Beaten finalists in World Cup at Johannesburg.
2004: Become first Indian team not to lose series in Australia since 1986-87.
2004: First Indian side to win test and ODI series in Pakistan.

LOWS
2001: Failed to win series against Zimbabwe despite winning the first test.
2001: Lost series to Sri Lanka 2-1.
2002: Crashed to a 2-1 series loss in the West Indies after taking 1-0 lead.
2003: Failed to compete on New Zealand greentops - lost test and ODI series heavily.
2005: 2-1 series lost to Australia on home soil.