.jpg) Wright in 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | John Geoffrey Wright | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1954-07-05)5 July 1954 (age 71) Darfield, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-armmedium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Openingbatsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Geoff Wright (father) Allan Wright (uncle)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 141) | 10 February 1978 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 16 March 1993 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 28) | 15 July 1978 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 12 December 1992 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1975/76–1983/84 | Northern Districts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1988 | Derbyshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984/85–1988/89 | Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989/90–1992/93 | Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000-2005 | India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010-2012 | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source:ESPNcricinfo,4 November 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Geoffrey WrightMBE (born 5 July 1954) is a former internationalcricketer who represented – andcaptained –New Zealand. He made his international debut in 1978 againstEngland.
He scored more than 5,000 Test runs (the first New Zealand Test player to do so)[2] at an average of 37.82 runs per dismissal with 12 Testcenturies, 10 of them in New Zealand. He also played forDerbyshire in England from 1977 to 1988. Infirst-class cricket he scored more than 25,000 runs, including more than 50 first-class centuries.[3] He scored over 10,000 runs in List A limited-overs cricket.
Following his retirement in 1993, he coached theIndian national cricket team from 2000 to 2005 and New Zealand from 2010 to 2012. With India, he helped the national team to be one of the dual-winners of the2002 ICC Champions Trophy, along with Sri Lanka, and led the team to thefinals of the2003 Cricket World Cup.
John Wright played cricket for his school,Christ's College, Christchurch, scoring several centuries. When he was studying atOtago University, he would travel fromDunedin toChristchurch on the weekends to play club cricket in order to make theCanterbury team. Unable to make the Canterbury team, he moved toGisborne and played five first-class games forNorthern Districts in the 1975/76 season. At the end of the season, he travelled to England where he spent time playing club cricket and time training with theKent team. Later in the 1976 season, he got the opportunity to play for the Kent second XI, scoring 500 runs at an average of 52. Wright also played for Derrick Robins' XI against Kent, scoring a century.[4]
Wright wrote toDerbyshire asking them for a trial on the basis that they were the only English county side without an overseas player. He was invited to play a couple of trial games. He played in a second XI game for Derbyshire against Nottinghamshire. Opening the batting he proceeded to score 159 not out and then had success in the other trial games. As a result, Wright was offered a one-year contract to play for Derbyshire in 1977. After five first-class games for Derbyshire in 1977, he received hiscounty cap and a pay rise.[4]
Wright typically opened the batting for New Zealand, and was noted as a tenacious, rather than spectacular, batsman. His team nickname was "shake"; reputedly a reflection of his packing technique. Together withBruce Edgar of Wellington, he formed what was arguably New Zealand's most successful and reliable opening partnership. During a match against Australia in 1980, he became the second player in history to score an eight off one ball in a Test, running four and collecting four overthrows.[5] Toward the end of his career he used an unorthodox batting stance. In contrast, most batsman face the bowler with the bat in line with their legs andperpendicular to the ground, Wright would stand with his bat raised parallel to the ground.
Wright was disappointed with the results of his first 20-odd Test matches and after a discussion withBob Willis, he started working with a sports psychologist. He eventually learnt transcendental meditation.[6] He commented: "Some people call it mental toughness, it wasn't mental toughness, it was just being mentally organised, being able to get out there and express yourself in a way you knew you were capable of but you made it hard for yourself because of the pressure you put on yourself".[6]
Wright's Test teammateIan Smith said of Wright's captaincy of the team: "He had an uncanny knack of bringing out the best in players, some of whom, I'm sure, thought they had already had their best days. I probably played my best cricket under John Wright's leadership;Martin Snedden andJohn Bracewell would be in the same category".[7]
In the1988 Queen's Birthday Honours, Wright was appointed aMember of the Order of the British Empire, for services to cricket.[8]
After retiring, Wright worked in sales for around two years – self-confessedly without great success. After taking up coaching forKent County Cricket Club, Wright enjoyed a successful coaching career with India from 2000 to 2005, during which time the team improved immensely, winning a home Test series 2–1 against Australia (which included the historic Kolkata Test which India won coming back from a follow-on with Indian batsmanVVS Laxman making 281not out), drawing a four-match Test series against Australia 1–1 in Australia in 2003–04 (Steve Waugh's farewell Test series), winning a series against arch-rivals Pakistan, and reaching the final of the2003 Cricket World Cup held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The following months saw the team lose form, and series to Australia and Pakistan. In May 2005, former Australian skipperGreg Chappell took over from Wright. Wright was also appointed as coach of the World XI team that playedAustralia in theICC Super Series 2005.
On 20 December 2010, Wright was named as New Zealand's coach, replacingMark Greatbatch. He resigned that role in 2012, following New Zealand's tour of the West Indies.[9] New Zealand Cricket was keen for him to continue as coach but Wright did not wish to do so. He did not see eye to eye withJohn Buchanan, who was the Director of Cricket for New Zealand Cricket. "We see things a little differently," Wright said. "It would be fair to say we're probably more comfortable coaching against each other, which we did for four and a half years."[10]
In January 2013 Wright was appointed head coach of theMumbai Indians in theIndian Premier League. The Mumbai Indians wonthat edition of the IPL.[11] Wright has worked with theMumbai Indians for seven years.[6]
Wright always took his guitar when on tour as a cricketer. He released his debut albumRed Skies in 2017. The songs are about travelling as an international cricketer and coach. He is planning to release an EP of new songs titledJump the Sun.[12][13]
In 1990, together with New Zealand writerPaul Thomas, Wright wrote an autobiography,Christmas in Rarotonga.[14] In 2006, along with Indian journalist Sharda Ugra and Paul Thomas, Wright co-authored the bookJohn Wright's Indian Summers describing his experiences as coach of the Indian team.[15]
| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by | New Zealand national cricket captain 1987/8–1990 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Indian National Cricket Coach November 2000 – April 2005 | Succeeded by |
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