The former New Zealand captain was the first foreigner to coach India during a successful spell from 2000 and 2005.
His particular man management skills and low key personal approach are now being replicated by Gary Kirsten, who has been guiding the fortunes of the cricket world's biggest nation for almost three years.
And the South African credits Wright with confirming how he should approach one of the toughest and most demanding jobs in the game.
Before accepting the post in early 2008 Kirsten pored over "John Wright's Indian Summers", a book detailing the New Zealander's time on the subcontinent in charge of a team of rock stars and multi-millionaires.
What Kirsten learnt was that he and Wright had more in common than simply being doughty left-handed opening batsmen who served their respective countries with distinction over long careers.
"I read that book very closely," 42-year-old Kirsten told NZPA this week in Ahmedabad where the world No 1-ranked Indians open their three-match test series against New Zealand.
"I took a lot out of his philosophies and how he approached the whole environment. Through his book I tried to understand his approach to the players.
"It's very generic, you know, it's very broad based.
"I was going to formulate my own style with each player anyway but it helped to know that John Wright was very much a low key, not standing on the parapet, type of individual who worked in the background."
That was certainly not the case with the man who followed Wright, Australian great Greg Chappell, whose forthright manner alienated some Indian players during an acrimonious reign from 2005 to 2007.
Step forward Kirsten to take the Indians forward again using a formula very much modelled on Wright's proven methods.
"It excited me because if that had been a success in Indian cricket then that was what I was going to do anyway. It was a natural thing for me to do but it really helped to know it had worked for him."
Kirsten, who retired in 2004 after playing 101 tests for South Africa, walked into a potential hornet's nest stirred up by Chappell's fractious player relations and it took some time for him to settle into his role.
He has since managed the job with aplomb, with India rising to the very top of the International Cricket Council test rankings.
"As a foreign coach you need the win the players over, you need to build trust with each individual and build an environment where they are comfortable with you."
Kirsten has vast playing riches at his disposal with a batting lineup to compare with any from the game's storied past.
The Fab Four of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag have played more than 500 tests and scored more than an eye watering 40,000 runs between them.
Sorry, but no matter your coaching credentials, what can you teach such a stellar cast about their day jobs? A lot, it seems.
"The work that I do with the batsmen on a one to one level is extensive and varied," Kirsten said.
"Some guys want a lot of input on their technique and others want little, while some guys want you to monitor them constantly and others don't.
"Whether an individual has played 130 tests or 30, you are still working on one level mentally and technically with the players."
Kirsten's contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India expires in April after the World Cup in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
No matter the daily pressures, it will be a tough gig to give up.
