I want to see an India-New Zealand final: John Wright

What do you have to say about Team India's campaign? They have defied all pre-tournament expectations…
Yeah, it's great to see them play so well. They have to keep the momentum going. It's nice to see them defending their title with resilience.

You know the Indian mindset very well. How different is this Indian team from the one you coached in the last decade?
Well, this is a younger team. You know I was lucky enough to coach a pretty experienced side with some outstanding senior players. But I like this team too. They play exciting cricket.

You forged a great partnership with Sourav Ganguly. In fact, the two of you changed the complexion of Indian cricket. That was also the beginning of the 'foreign coach' culture in India. However, the man in charge of this team is an Indian (Ravi Shastri). The three assistant coaches (Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar) are also Indian…
Well, I have known Ravi for years. I think I might have played in his first Test series (India's tour of New Zealand in 1981). You know guys like Ravi and Sunil (Gavaskar) and Kapil (Dev) are very, very passionate about the game. They care about Indian cricket. It's great to see the involvement. I am sure Ravi has instilled his fighting spirit in these boys. And that's what you want. You want a team that fights. And that's what they have done. They have fought back from some disappointing results and they are playing some good, fighting cricket. I hope it continues. I mean there is still a long way to go. But the best thing about India is that if they win the toss, bat first and post a big total, then they are going to be a difficult side to beat.

During your time with Team India, you always yearned for an out-and-out fast bowler. How refreshing is it to see the likes of Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami clock the high 140s on a very consistent basis?
Well, we had Zaheer Khan who was quick. On his day, even Javagal Srinath was very quick. But I think the big change I have seen in the last two months is that they are bowling in the right areas. They direction is much better. And their length is much better. That's why they are playing a lot better. They are more confident. That's been the big change. They are bowling with a lot more control. Their confidence is rubbing off on their teammates too. I hope they keep going. It's going to get tougher now as they will be up against some of the big teams. That said, it's the same for every side.

India have enjoyed an all-win record (4-0) in Australia. How different is the challenge of playing in New Zealand?
There may be a little bit more seam movement early in the innings. There might be a little more moisture around on certain days. The wickets in Hamilton (versus Ireland, today) and Auckland (versus Zimbabwe, Saturday) are pretty flat. Hamilton, in particular, will be a good wicket. Auckland can be a little up and down. They are very small grounds. You have got to be very accurate with the ball. That's critical.

Do you reckon India should field their seam-bowling all-rounder, Stuart Binny, in these conditions?
Well, I think you have got to keep playing your best team. But if you can get your players match-fit — because you don't want everyone sitting outside — then there is room for one or two minor changes. But you have also got to keep the momentum going. But, personally, I wouldn't think it would be too wise to fiddle with winning combinations. They might bring in Binny if they think it's going to swing. But they have got to stick with their batters. It's an amazing line-up.

Virat Kohli is going great guns. Many people in India are of the opinion that he could match or break Sachin Tendulkar's ODI records. What's your take on him?
Well, he is an outstanding young cricketer, but it's premature to start comparing anyone with Sachin. Sometimes, that puts a lot of pressure on players. And I am sure Virat is not thinking about it. He has got a great opportunity to win another World Cup. Let's hope he scores a couple more hundreds in this tournament.

It was you who told Sachin Tendulkar that he could go on and score 100 international centuries. And he did it. Do you think any batsman is capable of doing that again?
I think that's going to take some doing. It depends on a number of factors like the number of fixtures played, commitment and longevity. I think that record is going to take an awful lot of beating for a long, long time.

You have worked with Rohit Sharma at Mumbai Indians. He is a proven performer, but his biggest enemy is his inconsistency…
Rohit is one of those special players. He is a match-winner. And what you are really looking at is players who can win matches on their own. And Rohit is one such player. He is the sort of batsman who is very, very special. I am sure there are some runs around the corner. I have a lot of confidence in Rohit. He is an outstanding player.

Not many expected Sourav Ganguly's captaincy records to be broken. But MS Dhoni has gone a couple of notches higher…
Well, he has been a great captain for India. His strength is the ODI game and the T20 game. He has his own style. Over the years, India have been well served by a lot of senior players. During my time, I had Sourav and Sachin and Rahul (Dravid) and (VVS) Laxman and (Anil) Kumble. From that point of view, Dhoni was lucky to have come into the team with those players still around. But he has stamped his mark and he has the opportunity to win another World Cup. In fact, I am biased. I want to see an India-New Zealand final. That would be wonderful. I wanted the same at the last World Cup when I was coaching New Zealand. But we only made the semis.

You said Dhoni has his own style. What about Dhoni the batsman?
He is a smart thinker who reads the game situation very well. And he can adapt very well.

His batting isn't necessarily attractive, but it is extremely effective
I think I saw him get a hundred in one of his early game (148 versus Pakistan at Visakhapatnam in April 2005). He is an extremely talented batsman. I saw him only during that one series. But I remember that he had enormous game sense even then. That reflects in his batting.

A lot f the players you guided for so many years are no longer part of the Indian team. Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan may not play for India again…
These are wonderful boys. I was out there recently watching first-class cricket and I saw Sehwag and (Gautam) Gambhir and Yuvraj playing first-class cricket. That was fantastic. Young players can learn so much from the older players. Rahul has done a wonderful job with Rajasthan Royals. Kumble has worked with Mumbai Indians. Sunil Gavaskar has worked for the BCCI. Kumble has also been into administration. Laxman is with Sunrsiers Hyderabad. Sanjay Bangar is doing a great job with Team India and Kings XI Punjab. It's great to see some of the players I worked with contributing in so many different ways. Javagal Srinath is an ICC match referee. I think they are all contributing positively in many different spheres.

What's your lasting memory of your stint as Team India's coach?
I suppose, for me, being able to go back and work in India with Mumbai Indians is a great feeling. Being associated with cricket in India is a privilege. I have many great memories — Kolkata 2001, Pakistan 2004, maybe the disappointment of the 2003 World Cup final. However, the thing that stands out for me is the fans. I have always thought the passion for the game in India is unmatched. For me, going back and being able to experience the love is my lasting memory. That is something l will never forget. Someone said Indian cricket never leaves you. That's so true.