John leaves India on the Wright track

John Wright quits as India's first foreign coach satisfied that he has done the pressure job in a creditable manner.

When John Wright quits as India's first foreign coach after the current Pakistan tour on Sunday, he will leave with the satisfaction of having done the pressure job in a creditable manner.

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Coaching India has never been a stroll in the park, considering fans' inflated expectations, continuous media nit-picking and the team's repeated failures to bridge the gap between potential and performance.

That Wright only enhanced his reputation in the hot seat is a tribute to his unflappable temperament, a quality which also stood him in good stead as New Zealand opening batsman and captain.

Wright, 50, will be remembered as the coach who taught India more than just winning. His main contribution was that he instilled self-belief into a team known for cracking at the slightest hint of pressure.

To cap it all, Wright restored Indian cricket's credibility because the game was in turmoil when he took over five years ago in a pressure-cooker situation with a new captain in Sourav Ganguly.

But Wright adapted himself remarkably well in alien conditions and steadily transformed India into a force to reckon with in international cricket.

The New Zealander did not take long to prove that he was the right man for Indian cricket as one of his most memorable moments came in only his second Test series.

The unexpected happened in 2001 when India stopped Australia's juggernaut with a 2-1 victory after losing the opening match of a three-Test series at Mumbai inside three days.

Wright's masterstroke was the promotion of Venkatsai Laxman, who hammered a solid 281 at number-three position in the second Test at Kolkata, eventually won by India after following on.