India deserved to lose, says Wright

India played such poor cricket in Sri Lanka that they deserved to lose, coach John Wright said on Tuesday.

"India deserved to lose because they played poor cricket, both with the bat and the ball," Wright told reporters in Bangalore.

"We had a young side. We fought back in the series but in the last Test we did not play to our potential. You can't expect to win when you make fundamental errors.

"That's a disappointment and we have to learn from that," Wright said.

But the former New Zealand captain denied he is under any pressure after India failed to win a series in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

"I don't really give it that way. I want the best from players and from me. I am perfectly confident that I am giving my best to the country," he said.

"I am trying to make the players realise their responsibilites and improve their performance. I keep learning as well. I am doing my best. If I am not good enough, so be it," he said.

Asked whether ace leg spinner Anil Kumble, who has been out of international cricket for nearly a year, would be considered for the tour of South Africa beginning later this month, Wright said, "I would hope so," but added that team selection was the job of the selectors and he only had an advisory role as coach.

Asked if Kumble's inclusion in the side would make a major difference, Wright said any Indian team with Kumble bowling at his best is certainly helpful.

"Traditionally, they (South Africans) have not played against leg spin that well," he pointed out.

However, Wright does not expect "too many spinning wickets" in South Africa and said the tour would be a "lot tougher" compared to the series against Sri Lanka.

"South Africa is a very formidable side. It would be a tough series. A lot tougher than the two we just had (Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka)," he said.

Wright said the Indian players must not let the setback in Sri Lanka affect them and must play positive cricket.

"We have to go there with a positive and right attitude. When we bat, we have to get good runs in the first inings and then bowl and field well. We have to be very positive.

"Improvement is needed in running between the wickets, creating runs, rotating the strike and stopping singles," Wright said.

The coach also had an interaction with trainees of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and gave them a few tips.

Mail Cricket Editor