Wellington, Jan.9 (ANI): John Wright's relationship with Jesse Ryder is being seen as the key to New Zealand's chances as they build towards the World Cup starting late next month.
Ryder's potential is yet to be truly unleashed on the international scene and his relationship with Wright would depend essentially on the trust the two share, the New Zealand Herald reports.
That trust was hard to come by for Mark Greatbatch, who had some difficulties with Ryder in his days as Central Districts coach.
Player and coach left the province at the end of the 2003-04 season.
Greatbatch had inclusive intentions for Ryder when he assumed batting and selectorial responsibilities for the Black Caps last year but it was always going to be a struggle to win his favour again.
With Ryder, sources say there is always a risk of being too soft - allowing him to play coaches for his own ends, knowing he is guaranteed a spot in the team.
Likewise manager Dave Currie will battle to regain Ryder's respect after their clash during a Champions Trophy match against Sri Lanka in September 2009.
He smashed a chair and verbally abused Currie when he tried to calm him down in the dressing room post-dismissal. Ryder is understood to have a long memory and does not always forgive and forget.
Ryder is one of a rare breed capable of generating a wide range of emotion from blind loyalty to disappointment to wrath. He is in the mould of golfer John Daly, footballer Paul Gascoigne or even Shane Warne - anti-heroes whose flaws are accepted by fans in return for extraordinary sporting achievements.
Other fans dismiss them because they don't adhere to the perception of a role model.
Ryder has lost respect from some because of the number of times he's been given a reprieve.
This is where Wright can seize his chance. He knows pragmatism will win the day with this New Zealand team. Anything that generates a winning formula is worth sticking to - which is why he needs to harness Ryder effectively.
His test average, in a career spanning over two years has been consistently over 50, but his average opening the batting in limited overs has deteriorated of late. His average in 50-over matches has slipped from 39.64 to 33.09 in the last seven matches and his T20 average dropped under 20 in the recent series against Pakistan with scores of 6, 0 and 0.
Solving the Ryder riddle will be a true test of Wright's man-management skills. (ANI)
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