Wright step forth: Steal geek

It is said that Mumbai man Krishna Tunga was brought to Bangalore after the Indian coach heard about the 'genius' providing information to the Australians on Indian players.

There's an unfamiliar face prowling around the KSCA premises these past few days. In his mid to late thirties, he's a man most people here seem to know nothing about, except that he has "something to do with computers".

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Indian coach John Wright is almost fanatically possessive about this stranger, a Mumbai man called Krishna Tunga. He has told Tunga not to talk to anyone not authorised by Wright himself — predictably, he was refused permission to talk to the Hindustan Times.

It is said that Tunga was brought into Bangalore after Wright heard about the ‘genius’ providing information to the Australians on Indian players. According to the few who know Tunga is here, Tunga is important to Wright and the Indian management because he has Australian coach John Buchanan's ear.

Tunga reportedly met Buchanan in 2001 and has been in touch with him since. People say that during Buchanan's trip to India a few months ago for a promotional event, the Aussie coach asked for profiles of the top 50 Indian players — batsmen and bowlers — with an eye on India's tour of Australia.

While it is not quite clear what Wright has asked of Tunga, it is rumoured he too wants profiles of some of the Indian players, especially the fast bowlers and their performances in domestic cricket.

The strange part of all this is that before Australia, New Zealand is coming here. That somehow, seems to have slipped everyone's notice.