Former India coach John Wright has praised successor Gary Kirsten for taking the world's top Test team to a new level. New Zealander Wright handed over responsibility for cricket's most-demanding job to former South African star Kirsten in 2005 after five years in the job.
Published: Feb 16, 2011, 02:02 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 16, 2011, 02:02 PM (IST)
John Wright says Kirsten has done a great job as Indian coach.
New Delhi, February 16, 2011
Former India coach John Wright has praised successor Gary Kirsten for taking the world’s top Test team to a new level. New Zealander Wright handed over responsibility for cricket’s most-demanding job to former South African star Kirsten in 2005 after five years in the job.
Kirsten now has the pressure of guiding India to the World Cup title on home ground with the 2011 tournament getting underway on Saturday.
“I think Gary Kirsten and his team have done exactly the same as when I was coach,” said Wright, whose New Zealand side were facing India in a warm-up match here later on Wednesday. “When you take over a team, you like to make progress, they have taken it to another level.”
Wright paid tribute to the spine of the India team, insisting that the senior players deserve any plaudits which come their way.
“It’s satisfaction on seeing players playing to their potential. Like Zaheer (Khan) who has improved a lot and (Virender) Sehwag,” said Wright.
“I think that Sourav (Ganguly) and all the senior players – Rahul (Dravid), (VVS) Laxman, Sachin (Tendulkar) – drove that process. They did the great job because they wanted their team to change and improve.
“I probably got the opportunity because of that desire from those players. It was a pleasure working with them. That’s been a factor of the side for a long time.”
Wright added that one of his fondest memories was seeing Laxman hit his famous 281 to help beat Australia at Kolkata in 2001 after India had followed-on.
“I still think very affectionately of Laxman. You think at that time: It could have gone other way. I remember Kolkata,” he recalled.
“You look back on that and you think well you had a bit of team talk about the batting order. You get fortunate that something like that happens. I still think very affectionately about VVS when I look back. It’s great to be back here in India,” he added.
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