Team India’s first foreign coach John Wright celebrated his birthday. Wright along with Sourav Ganguly started the process of changing Indian cricket. The pairing of John and Sourav Ganguly was very famous. But head coach John Wright once slapped star opener Virender Sehwag. Let us know John Wright’s career with the Indian team as a coach.
Former New Zealand cricketer John Wright was selected as India’s coach in the year 2000. John gained more popularity and appreciation as a coach for India. He established a good relationship with Sourav Ganguly in the 2000s. John was the coach of India till 2005. Team India successfully renewed under John Wright and achieved considerable success. Before becoming India’s coach, John Wright worked in the sales department but he did not get much success in that.
John Wright slapped Virender Sehwag
The most destructive batsman Virender Sehwag has also been slapped by Coach Wright for his poor performance. Wright wanted Virender Sehwag to score a century but he was dismissed after performing below average. This was the reason that the head coach of the team slapped a cricketer. After this incident, Sehwag became very sad in the dressing room. This incident was disclosed by former cricketer Rajeev Shukla.
Describing this incident, Shukla said that Sourav Ganguly wanted Wright to apologize to Virender Sehwag at any cost. However, Sachin Tendulkar wanted things to end quickly so that the coach would not be embarrassed. After this Shukla explained to Sehwag and Sehwag said that there is no need to apologize to John.
After that the atmosphere in the dressing room became calm. Shukla said, ‘Thankfully, then this thing did not come in the media, otherwise I don’t know how much ruckus would have happened’.
After his tenure with the Indian team ended in 2005, Wright got a chance to work with his national team in 2010. Under Wright, the Kiwi team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2011. In 2012, he left the coach position with New Zealand. Wright scored 5334 runs in 82 Test matches for New Zealand at an average of 37.82, including 12 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
