I have huge respect for the Indian team: Wright

India coach John Wright conceded leading the country's cricketers on a tour of his homeland would be "different" but said his allegiance lay with India and the huge expectations the population had from its cricketers.

India have enjoyed a successful 2002 and come into the two Test, seven one-dayer tour full of expectation of winning an overseas series for the first time since 1986 when they beat England.

Wright played 82 Tests for New Zealand as a stylish left-hand opening batsman, scoring 5,334 runs at an average of 37.82.

He enjoyed a long first class career, scoring over 25,000 runs, many for Derbyshire, before taking up coaching and having a successful stint with Kent before landing one of the toughest jobs in world cricket.

It is his first tour of New Zealand since taking up the India job two years ago.

"I know there is a lot at stake," Wright said.

"This tour will be no different from others we have undertaken.

"I enjoy players' success -- no matter where they come from -- and I have a huge respect for this team and the people at home in India, who as we all know, love their cricket.

"I'm just a simple coach and I expect a lot from these boys."

Notable omissions from the first stage of the tour, with Tests in Wellington beginning on December 12 and Hamilton on December 19, are medium fast bowler Javagal Srinath and leg spinner Anil Kumble, both of whom have enjoyed success in New Zealand before.

Kumble may join the team for the one-dayers, which begin in Auckland on December 26.

India have just come out of a high-scoring and tightly fought one-day series with the West Indies, which they lost 4-3, and they look upon this tour as the perfect build-up for the World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe in February.

Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar is touring after missing the one-dayers against the West Indies, with Wright saying he was rested as a precaution after suffering a hamstring strain.

The India tour was under threat because of the recent industrial action by New Zealand's top players, but skipper Sourav Ganguly said the dispute did not concern them.

"We knew it would get sorted out at some stage," he said. "These things always do."

India open the tour with a relaxing Cricket Max game -- a shortened form of the one-day game -- in Christchurch on Wednesday and begin the tour proper with a match against Central Districts in Napier beginning on Thursday.

Also read: Indian team leaves for New Zealand

Mail Cricket Editor