May 9, 2004

‘We didn’t talk about the fear of losing or the aftermath in case of losing. We sat down and just decided to play positive and didn’t take the pressure,’ says the Indian coach

OHN Wright has the right reasons to smile. After all he became the first Indian coach to guide the team to their first ever One-Day and Test Series wins in modern times. But Wright, an opening batsman of impeccable determination and concentration in his playing days for New Zealand, is an unassuming character. Rather than exulting over the success, his peculiar smile is the only thing that broadens. Unlike the showy and aggressive captain Sourav Ganguly, Wright just celebrates in a low tone and enjoy playing his guitar — the instrument he often plays and on his tunes had played a Piped Piper role for the Indians.

The chalk and cheese combination of Ganguly and Wright has been seen as the most odd couple by many. But the duo has done wonders for the Indian team. When he joined as India coach, Wright had to weather the storm of criticism by former Indian players including the maestro Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev. But he just minded his own business.

Today his critics are themselves advocating an extension in his tenure. Matthew Engel wrote in the Wisden Almanack on Wright’s retirement that he had “the most beautiful manners of his generation”. After playing 82 Tests and 149 One-Day games for New Zealand he turned to coaching and had a stint with English county Kent. From there he was recommended to the Indian Board by Rahul Dravid and since 2001, Wright has been at the helm.

Q: India’s win in Pakistan is seen as their best ever showing abroad, how did you motivate the team under these circumstances, as this tour was seen as the most difficult considering the security aspect, goodwill and in a country where India had never won a Test?

Wright: I thought we played well under pressure. Whether it was 2-2 in the One-Dayers or 1-1 in the Tests, we came into the deciding games and we played well under pressure of the India vs. Pakistan mystique, really. I think the fear of losing in the Series for both sides has been a factor. But I would say we’ve played some pretty good cricket before too. Particularly against Australia who are a big side and that helped us a great deal.

The way our batting performed, that was expected of them. But the way our bowlers came up was more than we expected and that combined helped our cause of winning against Pakistan.

Q: What were the apprehensions and fears before the tour. Was the team, or you, frightened that losing may be intolerable in India?

A: No, I don’t think the fear of losing was a factor. We actually never talked about that. Pakistan-India has always been different because of the passion involved and what’s been written and talked about from the past Series.

But no, we didn’t talk about the fear of losing or the aftermath in case of losing. We had sat down and just decided to play positive and didn’t take the pressures. What we tried to do — Andrew Leipus (physio), Greg King (trainer) and myself — is to take that mystique out of the series and focus on working hard at achieving our game plans. We thought that if we could really be organized and plan, and have simple targets it would help us in.

Sachin mentioned in a team meeting before the final Test that we really plan well for the game. The players are starting to think that way which is great.

Q: After this win and the tour of Australia, how do you plan to keep the team motivated and don’t get overjoyed?

A: The win against Pakistan is significant but the business must continue. We’ll have a camp before the Asia Cup in July where we going to meet Pakistan again. So what I will really be urging the players is to have a rest and to look after themselves physically, so that they arrive lean, mean and fit, and ready to play again.

It is so disheartening when people come back and they’ve gone backwards physically because it takes so much time to get them back again and it affects their performances. Our team’s challenge is to keep winning consistently. (After all) we’ll be facing very tough home series; first against Australia and then against South Africa.

Q: How did the tour of Australia you’ll. India had come so close to winning a series abroad and fell at the last hurdle?

A: We learnt a lot in Australia. We didn’t play well in the last week in One-Day cricket there. There was a lot of fatigue but it was still disappointing.

The series against Pakistan was special. You see the hackles rise with both teams and they really get out there and have a go. It was special at the World Cup and it is here.

You know it’s not another game you don’t have to fire the players up, it’s quite the opposite you have to try to get them to relax. You really have to help everyone understand that the way to get the results is to concentrate on the game plan and on what you want to achieve. And generally if you get that done the results look after themselves.

For example, you have to make them understand that if you want to win a game of One-Day cricket, someone in the first three or four has to get a hundred. And we have to have a batsman from the top six, batting in the 48th over. It’s a simple thing, we have partnership targets.

In fielding, we count the runs every player either saves or gives. In bowling, we know that for instance on the first ball and sixth ball, people look to hit boundaries so we measure that. We measure consecutive maidens in Test matches or if we can put three in a row, We try and bat over four sessions.

So we have lots and lots of things, breaking the game down into those little steps. We’ve been doing it for a long time, now there’s an acceptance that perhaps they are important. We used that in the World Cup, we know more about that now.

Q: Discipline is the key to success, how do you tell the players and how do they get mentally tough?

A: The best thing about this Indian team is that everyone understands his job, everyone realizes the role he has to play and that’s important. The team gets over setbacks. They develop the mental approach and attitude that says that although something adverse may have happened to us yesterday, today this is my turn and I have to perform.

With this side everyone has contributed when it matters at some time or the other. In the One-Dayers you have young boys who have come in and won matches. The team is not reliant now completely on a particular player. You’ve got several players you know now who can win matches.

In the third Test Balaji made a significant input even though Kumble got the wickets. Pathan has made an impact, then you have Kaif, Yuvraj Singh and Laxman in the finals and then Dravid in the Rawalpindi Test.

If you go through the performances you find that different people at different stages have made a match winning contribution and sometimes it has been under a lot of pressure. When that happens the belief grows that we can win now. We had that belief in India and I think the players are now believing that they can win overseas now. The stronger that feeling gets the better it is for getting results. You can see it in the batting, where players are really at the top of their game, Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly, Tendulkar and you add to that Sehwag whose development has been a joy to watch and Akash Chopra’s been a part of that process too.

Now there’s Yuvraj coming in, and you have Kaif in the One-Day game. There are certain teams that when you go away they just gell, and this is one of them. You need a strong group because people don’t enjoy sitting out but they are still helping those that are playing.

It’s natural if you’re not playing to just withdraw a little maybe but that hasn’t happened with this group. It didn’t happen in Australia and I think there’s quite a nice family feeling among these boys and that’s what I like watching. They genuinely like each other and want each other to do well, that’s very powerful.

Q: Before the tour it was Pakistan’s bowling vs Indian batting. But Irfan and Balaji showed improvement and did above than expected. Your comments on the situation.

A: It’s pretty simple. They are physically very fit, worked harder at their strengths and they have got great attitudes. They will bowl till they drop. You throw them the ball, they will run in as hard as they can, they will keep trying and they will never give up. They are great learners and will keep getting better.

Batters sometimes take a little longer. But with these two you can just see it in their attitude. Selection is about picking people like this. It’s all very well to have ability but what’s the mental make up? What’s their attitude? These kids have it — they like a good fight. They won’t lie down. They might bowl badly but they are still going to run and bowl as fast and as well as they can.

Q: There was a minor controversy in the Indian camp over the declaration in Multan when Tendulkar was denied of a double hundred. How did you handle that?

A: Those sorts of things always crop up. You have natural reactions in games, people are disappointed they’re not playing or disappointed when they are out; disappointed that they have been reminded of something. The situation with Sachin wasn’t a big deal, it was natural for him to be disappointed, everyone understands that. The next day, we just got on with things, it was in the past and away we go. It’s not a big hassle. It’s a bit like if I come out and say I am disappointed with the team’s effort.

Generally the smallest things like that are blown out of all proportion. They are really non-issues in the team. You have to respect individuals and everyone’s different. A lot of us have been together for quite a while now and we know what people are like and we accept them. The bottom line is that we have different interests but when it comes to cricket, we know that’s what we are here for and that’s what we really work for.

We’re getting like a big family now really. It’s a very good group to be involved in, everyone enjoys the group and it’s another thing that has grown well this summer with the Aussie tour and the Pakistan tour. It comes with success.

Q: Sourav Ganguly says India is the best team in the world after Australia. Would you agree?

A: The rankings don’t make much sense to me. The World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy were big tournament and we got to the finals. I don’t care if we’re No. 7 or 8, those are big tournaments and we got to the finals. I just wish we’d won them. Then maybe we would have been ranked sixth!

I think Australia are out there. We beat them at home and in Australia and that’s a good achievement. I think there’s a pack of teams that can beat anyone. Beating the Aussies is special. Not many teams have done that, we have. But we can’t consider ourselves to be ahead of them. You need to keep in mind that you want to be No. 1, you strive to be No. 1, you work hard at that goal and that really boils down to getting players that can produce consistently. We’ll know more about that when we see Australia in India and then South Africa and Pakistan. It’s when you win over a long period of time that count. But I think Sourav’s right, on our day we can beat anyone and I think we are a lot more consistent than people probably realize.

Q: The successes in Australia and Pakistan are also very significant for you as India’s imported coach. How do you see it for yourself that all the critics are pleading you case of extension?

A: I don’t have that sort of attitude, you never win with that sort of attitude. For me I am very pleased for the fans and the boys that play. If I lost the job or got sacked, I’d go home to my house in Ohoka sit on my front porch and I’d get over it.

I work very hard at the job, there are some personal sacrifices made by my children and myself and we know those because we’re apart and they are big sacrifices.

I have always thought it would be great, if you can make the Indian cricket fans, good people who I meet on the street every day, if I can help with the players make them feel proud about their team. Because it means something to them. It seems to me wherever you go in the world, that it really seems to mean something in India.

I’ve always felt that a team that’s unified and a team that fights, it means more in India. If you help in that process — and that’s all you do, you potter around in the backroom really, because the players do it in the middle — then that’s satisfying. To me it’s just a privilege and an honour to be involved. I’ve always said that.

Q: So you are a happy man now, how was you experiences in Pakistan?

A: I came here as a player in 1984 and was happy over that experience too. This tour was special for it took place after a long long time. We were looked after well and would always want to come back to Pakistan. The people are very caring and it felt like we were in India, same people and the same culture. For me this tour was great — both on and off the field.

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