Cricket: Wright on the spot

By RICHARD BOOCK

John Wright has refined to a T the sleep-walking, preoccupied state that makes Ozzie Osbourne the television celebrity he is today.

Whether he is walking or talking, there are times when Wright gives the impression he would like to move in more than one direction at once - a not unreasonable feeling, perhaps, considering the special pressures of being India's coach.

But those who remember him from 20 years ago, when he was one of New Zealand's most successful test batsmen, will see little change in Wrighty, aside from shorter, greyer hair and a slightly more pronounced shuffle.

He is still the same old Shake, the 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, as if there were more pressing matters to attend to.

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.

He succeeded in a selfless way, too, realising early in his international career that there was a case for discarding his full bag of tricks and restricting himself to two or three of his most effective shots - a theory that has also worked well for another New Zealand opener, Mark Richardson.

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.

He took over the job from Indian legend Kapil Dev and most observers gave him six months at most before he found his phone had been cut off, his pay stopped and his car requisitioned from outside his flat.

That was almost two years ago. Since then Wright has defied all predictions by leading India to success at home and (to a lesser extent) overseas, gaining the respect and admiration of millions of Indian fans and - even more remarkably - of superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.

He was feted and celebrated as one of India's own after his side scored an astonishing, counter-attacking series win against Australia last year, and there was more optimism on the sub-continent after they claimed rare test wins in England and the West Indies.

All the talk was about how Wright is influencing India, but the question could just as easily be asked about India's influence on him.

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

"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."

Former New Zealand team-mate Mark Greatbatch, coach of the Central Districts combination the tourists are playing in Napier this weekend, is in no doubt about the impression that Wright can make on a side, whether provincial, county or an international team such as India.

Cricket knowledge and experience are helpful, says Greatbatch, but it is Wright's demeanour and approach that make him a favourite in any team environment.

"Wrighty's just a wonderful leader.

"He's the sort of bloke you'd jump over all sorts of hurdles for. He's a wonderful person; just a lovely guy with a lovely nature.

"He's a great leader in that people want to follow him for the type of person he is," says Greatbatch.

"He gets them to perform to their best and would never ask anyone to do something he wouldn't have been prepared to do as a player.

"I'm looking forward to having a beer with him, to be honest."

And already Wright's unflappable reputation has received a thorough workout, despite the fact that India arrived in New Zealand only on Monday and have spent most of their time in stress-free Hawkes Bay.

For starters, he has injury worries about main strike bowler Zaheer Khan; there was a problem getting the gear through from Christchurch - meaning Thursday's practice was cancelled - and now all the talk is about how the pitches will be doctored to disadvantage his team's batting.

Green or very green pitches have evidently been requested by the New Zealand team for the tests at Wellington and Hamilton, apparently to give their bowling attack extra bite against one of the best batting line-ups in world cricket.

The issue has so irritated Australian test captain Steve Waugh that he once suggested that, if the home nation were going to prepare pitches specifically to counter the opposition, then umpires should do away with the toss and allow the visiting side to choose whether to bat or bowl.

Wright, however, is a picture of diplomacy when asked about the practice, shrugging his shoulders and saying that India always expect foreign and difficult conditions overseas, and that good sides play well in any conditions.

"We don't mind in some respects because our biggest job is taking 20 New Zealand wickets," Wright says.

"We know we can bat reasonably well, but the key for us is dismissing the opposition, so maybe that will help us, too.

"The other point is that we were very pleased with the way we batted during the England tour, and particularly on the two most sporting pitches, Trent Bridge and Headingly.

"Hopefully, in similar conditions, we can reproduce that sort of performance here."