Wright stresses on teamwork, unfazed by match-fixing saga

`Discipline' and `team effort' are the two aspects that will play a very important role during John Wright's coaching tenure in India. In a telephonic interview to a vernacular daily here from his residence at Kent, Wright has said, "I believe in discipline and team effort. Individual achievements are not all that important. I want all the 11 players in the team to function as an unit."

The former New Zealand opener, however, has not been affected at all by the match-fixing controversy. He knows that he is taking the reins of the cricket team at a time when the entire game is losing its credibility in India and has only one comment to offer. "I love to look forward. All that has happened is behind me. I am not really bothered by it."

John Wright disclosed during the interview that he has learnt a lot about the Indian team from Rahul Dravid. In spite of that he will also be sitting down with some of the senior members of the team to have a better knowledge of all that is happening. In the course of the interview Wright has stated, "I intend to have one-to-one sessions with the likes of Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. I will also talk to the present coach Mr. Anshuman Gaekwad. The information that I gather from them will be of great help in coaching the side."

Wright also made it very clear that his main target is the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. "I will be building up the team keeping in mind the 2003 World Cup. I firmly believe that India has the talent to match any other side in international cricket."

The 46 year old Wright believes that he got the job ahead of rivals Greg Chappell and Geoff Marsh simply because he was ready to stay in India. "Today, coaching the modern day cricketers is a 24- hour job. I made it clear to the Board officials here that I would be ready to stay in India as long as committment required. That probably got me the job."

Wright also stated quite categorically that he had always dreamt of coaching an Asian side. "If you ask me, whether I will making much more financially than what I had been making with Kent, I would rather not answer it. However, it was my dream of coaching an Asian side that finally tilted the scales regarding my decision to coach India."