Involvement of former Indian greats with the Indian team a big positive, says John Wright

John Wright, the former Indian coach, has said that the involvement of former Indian greats with the current management is a huge boost for the country and for the players. In an interview with Times of India, Wright expressed satisfaction about the growth of cricket in India and said that it was a huge plus that the likes of Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman were actively involved with the game in India.

"I'm delighted to see the involvement of some of the people I had the pleasure of working with. Anil as coach, then Rahul getting involved with the A team and Under-19 team, Laxman and Tendulkar and Sourav involved in an advisory capacity and in IPL teams. [Javagal] Srinath is a match referee too, and these really are the best guys available to better cricket in India," said Wright.

Wright also said that the fact that these greats have decided to go down to the grassroots and help players is a huge plus for Indian cricket going forward. The former New Zealander is considered to be one of the most successful Indian coaches to have worked with the team. He has also worked with the Mumbai Indians as a coach and then as a talent scout. He believes that the growth of Twenty20 is a massive tool to help the game grow and that many youngsters are taking to the game as a result of this format.

"Twenty20 is the big change in cricket, and the biggest thing is that it's so exciting and vibrant. The IPL is fantastic and I enjoy it passionately ... being able to scout talent and meet young cricketers across India, in particular," Wright observed.

Wright, who has played 82 Tests and 149 ODIs for New Zealand said that the players who have been successful in T20, more so in IPLs, are the ones who go on to do well in ODIs and Test matches too.

"There are some specialists around, mostly in T20 and ODIs, which has been the case for long if you look at one-dayers. But the guys who really make a difference in T20s are also the guys who making hundreds and taking five wickets in Test matches because they can adapt their skills to different formats", Wright said.