BANGALORE, India (Reuters)
New Zealand's John Wright has been retained by the Indian cricket board as coach, ending speculation that he might lose the job after India's recent poor performances away from home.

"We have decided to extend Wright and (the team's Australian physio) Andrew Leipus's contract until 2003," Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Sunday. The decision follows a heart-to-heart between Dalmiya and Wright. "We have asked the players to be more consistent in their performances," said Dalmiya. "I want the players to be accountable, so also the coach, the physio and the selectors."

Wright was appointed India's first foreign coach late last year by the BCCI, largely to improve the team's overseas Test record. The former New Zealand captain began his role impressively, guiding India to a 2-1 upset Test series triumph over Australia at home early this year. But he then came under fire after India lost a three-Test series 2-1 in Sri Lanka, were held 1-1 in a two-Test series in Zimbabwe and lost 1-0 in South Africa last month.

Leipus, who took over in late 1999, has also been under pressure following a number of injuries in the last few months. Sachin Tendulkar missed the Sri Lankan series in August-September because of a toe injury and VVS Laxman pulled out of the Tests because of a knee injury suffered during the one-day series. Sadagoppan Ramesh has only just recovered from a back injury that ruled him out of the South African series, while left-arm pacemen Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan have also struggled with their fitness.

But doubts remain over the future of India's captain Sourav Ganguly. His captaincy has been criticised on several occasions during the series against England, and his own personal form is wretched, with just one fifty in his last 25 Test innings.

"It is worrying for us he is not doing well," chief selector Chandu Borde. "This patch comes in every cricketer's life. Unfortunately in his case, it has prolonged quite a lot." Asked whether Ganguly faced the axe, Borde said it was too early to say because he has been appointed until the end of the one-day series against England in January and February. "It is too early to say now, when we have selected him for the entire series."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd