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Only victory in the one-day series will satisfy the Indian fans, says coach

India's inability to win the test series against Pakistan has pushed the home team to a situation where nothing less than victory in the one-dayers will satisfy its fans, says coach John Wright.

India squandered a 1-0 lead on the final day of the third test match as Pakistan's young spinners claimed nine wicket in the last sessions to clinch a rousing 168-run, series-leveling victory Monday.
"The test series result has put us in a situation where a win becomes a must," Wright told reporters Thursday ahead of the six-match limited-over series that begins Saturday in the southern port city of Cochin. "Whatever we do, we must come out winners from this one-day series."

"We have to get this right, we have a duty to win this time," he said.

Wright said nothing short of winning the one-dayers would make up for the disappointment felt by millions of Indian fans over the not clinching the three-test series.

"When you're expecting a victory and still don't get it, it leaves one with an empty feeling," Wright said about the dejection in the Indian team camp.

"That's what we're feeling right now ... They're thinking that this one got away," he said.

Wright said the Indian team possibly didn't deserve to win the series as it failed to deliver the knockout punch going for victory in the opening test - which Pakistan saved through a stoic seventh-wicket partnership on the final day - and then faltered in batting out the last day of the final test.

Wright, a former New Zealand captain who became India's first foreign-born coach five years ago, said Pakistan presented a formidable challenge - it has won all four matches against India since the last tour to Pakistan where India prevailed 3-2 in a cliffhanger contest.

"Pakistan's a good side and the players are in form .... It's going to be a tough contest," said Wright.

"At the start of the tour, we were the favorites to win the tests and they were supposed to have the better form in one-dayers. Things didn't go our way in tests, and I'm hopeful of a better show in one-dayers," he said.

Is the momentum with Pakistan?

"Momentum is an interesting word," said Wright.

"Winning the third test was a big result for Pakistan, they're obviously delighted," he said. "But in a one-day situation little things are going to make a difference as the two teams are evenly matched."

Source: Foxsports.com/cricket