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New Delhi: Given the form he is in, India would definitely miss Sachin Tendulkar's services in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup to be staged in the West Indies from April 30-May 16, reckons former India coach John Wright.
"Yeah, India would definitely miss Sachin (Tendulkar) in the Twenty20 World Cup. He is in brilliant form and having him in the team would have given India a big edge over other teams," Wright said.
"But he has made up his mind not to play and he is sticking to it. So you can't help anything. You need to respect his decision," he said.
Tendulkar, who quit Twenty20 International cricket along with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in 2007, is in prime form in the ongoing Indian Premier League which forced the Indian cricketing fraternity to request him to change his mind and play in the Twenty20 World Cup.
However, the champion batsman has ruled out the possibility, saying he will stick to his stance of not playing T20 Internationals anymore.
Wright, who had a successful five-year stint as India's coach from November 2000 till 2005, said notwithstanding his age, Tendulkar's passion for the game is still intact.
"He is going to be 37 but he is getting better day by day. He is looking in great touch. Playing such great cricket at this age is fantastic for Indian cricket," he said.
"He now looks fitter and more agile. He seems to have not lost anything, especially his enthusiasm for the game which is great for India.
"It is great to see that he still loves the game. I wish him all the best and hope he continues to play the same way for many more years," added the former Kiwi batsman about Tendulkar, who would be celebrating his 37th birthday on April 24.
Asked about India's chances in the Twenty20 World Cup, Wright said the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side's success in the tournament would largely depend on their start.
He refused to hand pick any single team as the favourites to lift the trophy but said India is among the five team in reckoning for the title.
"India's start would be critical. India is a team no one wants to play because they can win from any situation. They have got enough match-winners but the performance of their bowlers would be crucial," said Wright, who is here as the brand ambassador of New Zealand's Southern Institute of Technology.
"It is really hard to predict a favourite but there are five teams -- Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, and England who have good chance of winning. New Zealand are the dark-horses but it would be interesting to see how England plays," he said.
