Wright has encouraging words for India's potential

Leading up to the first tour game between the Indian touring side and Guyana, Indian coach John Wright's remarks must come as soothing encouragement for a team under pressure to win a rare series outside the subcontinent.

"I don't actually believe in favourites and those sort of tags, but what I do know is we have a side here which, when they play as well as they can, will win against anyone," said Wright to the press during Tuesday's practice session.

His remarks are not unfounded. The Indian batting, as has been noted many times before, is the strongest in the world on paper, possessing the world's best batsman in Sachin Tendulkar, the world's foremost technician in Rahul Dravid, a premier stylist in VVS Laxman, and unadorned aggression in Sourav Ganguly.

But these pluses have, in the past, been negated by a singular lack of cohesion, a factor Wright recognises. "I think the big question for us is to play good cricket like a team. That for us is the focus," he said.

"I think the belief is a big factor," he continued. "I think it is a great opportunity. The biggest challenge for us, of course, is to do well on this tour."

Team spirit, thus, was not overlooked during the training session. On his first day on the job, newly appointed Adrian Le Roux assigned various exercises that would help to build that spirit. "That is one area we are concentrating upon," said Wright. "To forge a good team unit on and off the field."

India's lack of success abroad has largely hinged on the alien pitch conditions encountered, but the tracks in the West Indies, over the years, have changed in nature from fiery to slow, almost sub-continental in behaviour.

"In the conditions here, we will feel more comfortable as they are more akin to ones back home rather than the ones we face in countries such as South Africa, New Zealand or Australia," said Wright, commenting on this aspect of the tour.