Cricket: Wright 'grabbed collar'

Further claims of unhappiness between former Indian cricket coach John Wright and his players have surfaced, with a news agency reporting that Wright once grabbed the collar of batsman Virender Sehwag.

A story by The Press Trust of India yesterday said Sehwag had "no problem" with the incident. It is not clear when it happened.

"He was upset with me because I played a stupid shot," said Sehwag, in a story which ran in at least two major Indian newspapers.

"It does not matter whether it was brotherly action or not but he [Wright] was definitely angry with me and did what he thought at that time.

"Later on we discussed it and we do not have any problem with that."

Former Indian great Sunil Gavaskar this week claimed Wright may not have renewed his contract in April because he was humiliated by players under his command.

"He was told off and sworn at by some players," Gavaskar wrote in a newspaper column. "One thing is sure - however inefficient an Indian coach would be, there is little chance that he could be abused to his face by any player, however big the players may be."

Wright has returned to New Zealand.

He stepped down as India's first foreign coach after a five-year tenure, having declined an offer by the Indian cricket board to remain coach until the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

Australian batting great Greg Chappell was appointed Wright's successor.

- NZPA