Name Hindi: जॉन राइट / Gender Coach
John Wright: New Zealand’s Cricket Icon
John Geoffrey Wright, popularly known as John Wright, played as an opening batsman for New Zealand’s cricket team.
Early Life and Breakthrough
Born on July 5, 1954 in Darfield, Canterbury, New Zealand, Wright discovered his passion for cricket at a comparatively early age. After showcasing outstanding performances during his school years, he was selected to play for the New Zealand Young Cricketers’ side while studying at Canterbury College of Education.
In 1978, John had made such astounding progress that he earned himself a spot in the senior New Zealand national team. From there on, Wright became a regular face representing New Zeeland against some of the top-notch international teams around the world.
Career Highlights and Achievements
- John Wright is notably remembered for being the first Kiwi cricketer to score over 4000 test runs.
- He scored 12 centuries and 23 half-centuries throughout his Test career which spanned from 1978 to 1993. His highest test score was an impressive 185 runs.
- In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he made two centuries and scored more than 3000 runs across his career.
- In January 1990, he took over as captain of the New Zealand cricket team and led it admirably until his retirement in February 1993.
- Post-retirement in September 2000, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed him as head coach of the Indian cricket team, the first foreigner to hold this position.
- Wright was awarded the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for his extraordinary contribution to NZ Cricket at the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards in 2012.
Coaching Career and Legacy
John Wright’s post-retirement life has been just as illustrious. As a coach, he led teams like India, Kent County Cricket Club and Mumbai Indians of the Indian Premier League (IPL). During his tenure as Indian cricket team coach from Nov 2000-to-April 2005, he guided them to their historical win in Pakistan and drew test series in Australia.
In later years , he served as a talent scout for Mumbai Indians Team (IPL) which won prestigious championships under his keen eye for talent identification.
To sum it all up, John Geoffrey Wright has not only made significant contributions on-field but also off-field with an impressive career record that continues to inspire aspiring cricketers globally. His legacy extends beyond his brilliant performances and underscores a lifetime devoted to advancing the sport of cricket.
